Sometimes It Comes True
by TakerTakeMe
Summary: A romantic storyline between Triple H and Trish Stratus affects their real life relationships. Will Stephanie and Chris be able to watch their two loved ones together after what happened in the past?
1. The New Storyline

**A/N: So this is a little different. Stephanie and Hunter are married (of course) and Chris Jericho and Trish Stratus are dating.**

**Chapter 1**

"Daddy, I don't _like_ this storyline," Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley complained. "In fact, I _hate_ it. And yet, the creative team says that they don't need my approval this time. Explain."

"They _don't_ need your approval," Vince McMahon told his daughter with a shrug. "I approved it already."

"Why?" she asked, amazed that her own father would do something like this to her.

"It's simple, Steph. It's good for business."

"But what Hunter and I share is _real_. If you put him in this storyline..."

"There's no _if_, baby," Vince said gently. "It's already done. He's in it."

"So it's like that, Dad?" she asked quietly.

"I'm afraid so, sweetie," he said, leaning his elbows on his desk. "You've gotta admit, Hunter and Trish have great on-screen chemistry. This storyline will be good for business."

"What about the effects it's bound to have on my personal life with my husband?" she asked desperately. "Need I remind you of what happened with Trish only a few months ago?"

"Now honey," he chided. "I've always considered you to be a team player. Are you?"

She sighed and looked down. "Yes, Daddy. I'm a team player."

"Then put your past differences with Trish aside and take this one for your old man," he said. "For the company."

"For the company," she said in a low voice. _But _not_ for my old man, because _he_ would've prevented it!_ She got up and left the room without another word.

She leaned against the wall next to the door of her father's office and closed her eyes. _How could he?_ she thought. _After all the hell Trish Stratus has put me and my husband through..._ The tears seeped through her closed eyes and ran down her face.

"Problem, Steph?"

She opened her eyes and saw Chris Jericho standing in front of her just a few feet away. They weren't exactly the best of friends, especially with their colorful history, but was that a look of concern on his face?

"Where the hell did you come from?" she asked wearily, wiping her tears away.

"You know I'm always nearby when you need me," he said smoothly. She glared at him, seeking the truth. He felt naked beneath her gaze, compelled to add, "And, you know, I was going to talk to your dad."

"So you've heard, then?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Heard what?"

"About the new storyline."

"What new storyline?"

"The romantic one with my husband and your girlfriend."

His mouth dropped open. He just stood there staring at her. All the memories of what had happened with Trish, Hunter, Stephanie, and himself came rushing back.

"Pick your lip up off the ground, Jericho," Stephanie teased, trying to somehow lighten the situation.

He stood there, not listening. In his mind, all he could see was the image of Hunter and Trish when he'd caught them in the shower...

Stephanie reached up and gently closed his mouth for him with one finger. "I hope I didn't look like this when Daddy told me the news," she commented, stepping back to observe him.

Still he stood there, just looking ahead of him, not actually seeing anything but those memories. Hearing those voices...

_"Oooh, Hunter, Chris could never do me like this..."_

_"Trish, you're such a little slut. Why can't Stephanie be more like you?"_

The voices were louder than anything in his mind...

"Chris?" Stephanie said, unsure.

No reply.

"Must be in shock," she said, not liking the blank look in his eyes. "I better snap him out of it."

She shook his arm lightly. "Chris?"

All he could hear and see was Trish and Hunter in the shower. "No, not again," he murmured. "I can't go through this again."

"Chris, what are you talking about?" she asked nervously, shaking his arm a little harder.

"Fuck! Why are you doing this to me, you fucking whore!" he exclaimed. "And with him?"

She knew that he was reliving that day again. She knew now that she _really_ had to snap him out of it before he got violent again...

With that, she leaned back and slapped the hell out of him, causing his head to snap back.

_That_ sure brought him back to reality.

"What the _hell _did you do that for!" he exclaimed, clutching his cheek. He glared at her as he turned an angry shade of red.

"You were just staring blankly after what I told you about the new storyline. You started reliving that..._day_...and I got worried," she explained with a shrug that seemed to ask,_ What other choice did I have?_

"You got worried so you slapped the _hell_ out of me?" he asked in a tight voice.

"Well, yeah," she replied uneasily. _Maybe that wasn't the most practical way to go about it_, she admitted to herself.

"Un-_fucking­_-believable, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley!" he said angrily. He rushed past her and into her father's office. She distinctly heard him mutter, "Bitch!" before the door closed.

"Well fuck you, too, Chris Jericho," she muttered, and headed to find Hunter, suddenly in a royally pissed mood...

**A/N: I know, I know. I have a million and one stories to update and I keep adding new ones! What's wrong with me? The answer: I'm crazy. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I'll update this as soon as I get more ideas.**


	2. It Was You!

**Chapter 2**

Stephanie slammed the door to her office and stomped over to her desk. She sat down in her chair and turned around facing the window. She was confused and frustrated, but even more than that, she was angry. So very angry. At her dad, at Chris Jericho. At the past...

"Baby, you ok?" Hunter asked, coming into the room.

"No," she replied honestly. She closed her eyes. She'd been looking for him but hadn't had much luck in finding him. And now, here he was.

"So you heard about the new storyline I'm in, then?" he asked with a weary sigh.

"Did you think I _wouldn't_ find out? I'm the head of the creative team!" she yelled. "What I don't understand is how they could develop a storyline like this right under my nose. I mean, it's nothing like what we usually do..."

"Maybe... Nah, never mind," he said, cutting himself off before he said too much and gave his secret away.

"The only explanation I can think of is that someone maybe suggested it to someone on the team," she mused. The wheels started to turn in her head as she began to put two and two together. "It didn't look like something my team would come up with. It's almost like someone else wrote it..."

He backed slowly towards the door. He had his hand on the doorknob and was gently beginning to ease it open when she whirled around in her chair to face him. There was an angry fire in her eyes, and it burned him internally as she glared at him. The fire of anger and realization in her eyes was scalding and frightening. When her eyes met his, that's when he knew that _she _knew.

"It was you, _wasn't_ it?" she asked in a venomous voice, her hands slamming down on the desk.

"Me...what?" he asked, trying to act bewildered.

"You brought this storyline to the creative team and asked them not to tell me because you knew I wouldn't approve it, _didn't_ you?" Her voice was low, calm, and tightly controlled. He knew that she was going to blow up at him soon. It was only a matter of time. "Well?" she said. "I'm waiting for an _honest_ answer."

"Fine. Yes, it was me," he said, looking at the floor.

"_Wrong_ answer," she said, and she turned her chair back around so she could face the window, thereby effectively turning her back on him. "Get out."

"Honey, let me explain," he pleaded.

"There's nothing to explain. You haven't changed a bit," she said. "Get out of my office. I don't even want to _see_ you right now."

"Steph, you've got the wrong idea," he said desperately. He was grasping at straws here. "Me and Trish are good for business. It's all business, nothing more and nothing less."

"GET OUT!" she screeched.

He wasn't going to argue with her. "Ok, if that's what you want then so be it. If you don't want to hear me out, that's fine. I'll see you later."

"Maybe you will and _maybe_ you _won't_," she muttered when she heard to door slam. He was gone, and now she could stop acting so brave. Her shoulders slumped, and the tears were sliding down her cheeks before she knew it. She did nothing to stop them.

A year ago, their marriage had been perfect, absolutely perfect. They had talked about having children, planning out their lives together. They were basically at a happy point in their marriage, perhaps the happiest point of their marriage. Stephanie had never been so happy, so content with her life.

Sixth months ago, Stephanie's happy, uncomplicated little world had shattered and collapsed around her. She could still remember the night she and Chris had discovered Hunter and Trish in the shower together, could still remember their grunts and moans, could still remember the wet, heartbreaking scene as if it had just happened. It replayed in her mind constantly, and although she and Hunter had somewhat made up, the pain was still fresh. This new storyline was like putting salt in her wounds.

"It's going to happen again," she whispered, covering her face with her hands.

"No, it's not," came a voice from behind her. Chris.

"What do _you_ want?" she asked, quickly wiping the tears away. She was still angry at him for calling her a bitch earlier. Granted, she _had_ slapped the hell out of him, but she was still pissed that he'd had the nerve to call her a bitch, and nothing he could say would change that.

"I came to apologize for earlier," he said. He walked over and stood near the window about two feet away from her. He leaned against the wall. "I didn't mean to call you a bitch."

"Yeah, well you did," she said, trying to feel numb, trying not to feel hurt about this whole situation with the new storyline. "But, um, just forget about it."

"You're on the creative team, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yep," she murmured. "I'm the head of the team."

"They're supposed to get you to approve all of the storylines they come up with, right?"

"In theory," she said with a sigh. She knew what he was getting at. "But-"

"And you let them go ahead with this new storyline?" He had a look of disbelief on his face. "Even after everything that happened?"

"Do you think I would actually approve something like that? Hell no!" she exclaimed, angry that he would accuse her of something like that. "Hunter knew I wouldn't approve it, so the rest of the team got Vince to approve it."

"Vince as in your _dad_ Vince?"

"Yes, _that_ Vince," she replied, getting angrier.

"Some dad he is, approving something like that when he knows you're still hurt about everything that happened."

"My sentiments exactly, but who says I'm hurt?" she asked.

"Hell, _I'm_ still hurt by it," he said. "I know that if I'm still hurting, you must be hurting, too."

"I'm over it," she lied, holding her chin up high.

"Don't be foolish," he said. "You were just sitting here crying. Your biggest fear right now is that it's going to happen all over again and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

She had her mouth set ready to deny everything that he had just said, but then she thought, _What's the use in denying it? He's right._ Instead of denying it, she covered her face with her hands again as the tears gushed out...


	3. I'm Here For You

**Chapter 3**

Chris looked with wide eyes at Stephanie crying her eyes out only two feet away in her chair. He hadn't expected this. He never thought she would just break down in front of him. He was hurting, too. She wasn't the only one who had been betrayed by the one she loved. But he still hadn't expected her to cry. What was he supposed to do?

Comforting crying women was not something he was particularly good at. He never knew where to touch them or what to say to make them feel better. The fact that he and Stephanie weren't exactly the best of friends didn't make his situation any easier, but he knew that he could not just stand there leaning against the wall and watch the woman cry.

"There, there, it's going to be ok," he said in what he hoped would be a comforting voice. He walked over to her and leaned down. He raised his hand up to touch her arm. "Hey, it's going to be ok," he repeated, rubbing her arm lightly, trying to comfort her.

"It's not," she whispered, shaking her head. "It's never going to be ok, Chris."

"Yes, it _will_ be ok," he said again. Whether he was trying to convince her or himself, he didn't know. He just wanted her to stop crying. He would say _anything_ to make her stop crying right about now.

For some reason, at that point her sobs got even louder, and he feared that she was having some kind of nervous breakdown or something. He had never seen her cry so _much_, but he knew he had to do something to make her stop.

He sat on the edge of her desk and pulled her to her feet. His legs were open, and he pulled her between them. He pulled her close to him in a tight hug. She clung to him and buried her face into his neck, crying on his shoulder. He stroked her back awkwardly. This was unfamiliar territory, and he hadn't the slightest idea if this was the way to make her stop crying or not. But he didn't let her go. He just held her and let her cry, even though it was ruining his favorite shirt. He softly touched her hair, trying to calm her down somehow.

A few minutes later, her sobs finally subsided, but she didn't let him go. It was like she _needed_ to hug him. She needed him to hold her. She buried her face in his hair while he leaned his chin on her shoulder. They stayed comfortably like that, just thinking about their whole situation.

"I'm sorry I cried all over you, but I needed that," she said finally. Her voice was trembling. This was not the brave Stephanie McMahon that he knew. This was a fragile, heartbroken woman who was still hurting, not the evil bitch who put him in storylines where he constantly got his ass kicked. This was the victim of a betrayal, the same betrayal that had broken his heart in two as well.

"It's ok," he replied in a soft voice. "I'm just glad that it's over." He didn't like seeing her cry.

"Me, too. But it's like the pain just never goes away," she whispered. "I'm constantly thinking about it."

"Same here," he whispered back. "I'm always seeing it in my mind... That night when we walked in on them..."

"I'm not over it, really," she said, pulling away from him. "But I have to pretend to be brave, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," he replied, looking intently at her. He hardly recognized this woman before him, the one with the puffy red eyes and the sad smile. "I do the same thing."

"It's not fun. Every night when I lay next to Hunter in bed, I wonder if he's still cheating on me... He won't even...touch me," she said, ashamed. She looked down at her feet, and went on, embarrassed. "I can't remember the last time he really touched me."

He bit his lip, angry. He was pissed that she had to go through this, that she had to be so insecure in her relationship with her husband. He knew how she felt, but not about the touching part. Trish was naturally a touchy-feely person. Every night, she felt the need to prove to him that she was being faithful to him. Every night she tried her hardest to please him sexually the way that only she could... But it didn't prove a damn thing, not one thing at all.

She sat down in her chair and heaved a great sigh. "Life really sucks sometimes."

"And that's the sad truth," he said, standing up straight. He looked down at his watch. "Well, look, I'm going to go. I have a promo to shoot."

"Thank you for being here for me," she said in a low voice, looking out the window. "It means a lot. I know I'm not exactly up there on the top of your favorite people list."

"No problem," he said, searching for more words to comfort her. "And, um, anytime you need to talk to someone, I'm here, ok? Because I know what you're going through and maybe we can help each other get through this."

"I'd like to give that a try," she said, holding her hand out to shake his. "Let's make this official."

He smiled. "We're not making a business deal." He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. It was a completely innocent kiss. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see you around," she echoed. She looked out the window, unmoving, until she heard the door close. Then she raised her hand to her cheek and touched the place where his lips had been when he had kissed her.

**A/N: Ok, you all knew I was gonna do this sooner or later. I mean, really! LOL!**


	4. He Loves Her

**Chapter 4**

"Why'd you want me to meet you? You know we're not supposed to be seen together," Trish admonished, folding her arms across her chest.

"I fucked up," Hunter said shortly. "I told her."

"WHAT?" Trish grabbed his arm and practically dragged him into the first empty locker room they came to. She shut the door behind them and locked it. Then she turned around with a frown on her pretty face. "What'd you tell her?"

"I told her that I came up with our new storyline," he replied.

"Did you mention me? Because I _did_ help write it," she said.

"Of course I didn't mention you," he said. "I'm not _that_ stupid."

"You sure about that?" she asked.

"What are you implying?" he countered.

"That maybe you have a few screws loose," she said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have actually told her what you did."

"It slipped, sort of. She figured it out by herself, and when she looked at me and asked me if I did it... I had to be honest," he said. "What else could I have done?"

"Did lying ever cross your mind?" she snapped.

"I'm _tired_ of lying to her. She's my wife," he said. "You can lie to Chris all you want to and not feel guilty, but _I_ feel guilty every time I'm with you."

"You feel _guilty_?" she asked incredulously. "Funny time for you to start feeling like that."

"You don't have the right to judge me, Trish," he said. "You'd feel guilty too if you made this sacred vow before God, this commitment, and then you broke it."

"No, I wouldn't," she said. "I'm heartless, remember? That's what you like about me." She leaned up and bit his bottom lip. "That's what you _love_ about me."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. "You're right. I do love you," he whispered.

"Whoa, whoa, that is _not_ what I said," she argued, pushing him away. "Don't you dare twist my words that way."

"I'm not twisting your words. I'm saying my own words," he said, touching her arm. "That's why I've made up my mind. I'm going to do it."

"Do what?" she asked. She was afraid to hear his answer.

"I'm going to divorce Stephanie," he said quietly. "I'm going to call my lawyers up tonight and get the whole process started."

"You are a fucking _idiot_," she said, poking him hard in the chest. "You can't leave her! There are so many reasons that you shouldn't even _consider_ leaving her."

"Name one," he said, crossing his arms and waiting for her to answer.

"We need someone on the inside. When you're with her, you're the one on the inside. We _need_ that connection," she pointed out.

"That's not important," he said, shrugging it off. "Any other reasons?"

"And, have you forgotten who her father is? Our _boss_," she emphasized. "If you divorce her, everyone's going to know why, including Vince. And then we'll be as good as fired."

"So? We'll be _together_," he said. "And for two people in love, that's all that matters."

"You..." She pushed him roughly against the wall and kissed him. "You're so crazy that you make _me_ crazy!" She took his face and cupped it in her hands. "But listen to me, Hunter. You cannot divorce Stephanie...yet."

"Yet?" he asked hopefully. "You mean there's a chance..."

"Just listen to me. Don't do anything rash," she said in a clear voice, as if she were talking to a young child. "We have to stick to the plan, or have you forgotten?"

"The plan. It's always about _the plan_ with you," he grumbled. "You can be a mean and calculating _bitch_ sometimes, Trish Stratus."

"Me? A bitch?" she asked innocently, putting her arms around his neck.

"Yeah," he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her as close as possible. He leaned down to kiss her, stopping when his lips were a mere inch away. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

They grinned at each other and then closed the distance between them, hungrily seeking each other's mouths...


	5. The Ride

**Chapter 5**

Stephanie flipped the TV on in her office just in time to see the end of Chris's promo. "And I promise that you will never, _eeeeever_ challenge Y2J _again_!" he was saying into the microphone, looking straight into the camera. He did his patented smirk, then turned around and walked away. The camera followed him as he arrogantly strutted away.

_He was so nice to me earlier_, she remembered when he was no longer on the TV screen. _And he didn't even have to be..._ She sighed and laid her head down on her desk on top of her arms. Suddenly she felt worn out and dead tired. She yawned. _I've never been so tired in my entire life_, she thought, and she closed her eyes. _Just for a minute_, she promised herself. _I'll close my eyes for just a minute_.

The next thing she felt was someone gently shaking her shoulder. She felt so comfortable. She didn't want to get up. "Oh, buzz off and just let me sleep!" she mumbled sleepily, not bothering to open her eyes. She just wanted to sleep.

"Come on, Stephanie, wake up," Chris urged her, still gently shaking her shoulder.

"Chris?" She sat up and rubbed her eyes, then looked at him suspiciously. "What are you doing in my hotel room?"

"Take a look around. This isn't your hotel room, Princess," he said. "It's past midnight and you were just sleeping here in your office."

"Oh. Well it can't be past midnight," she said. She turned around and peeked out the window, noticing the darkness outside. The only light came from the twinkling stars and the full moon outside. She turned back and grinned sheepishly at him. "Ok, I guess it _could_ be past midnight."

"They're locking up this place soon," he said, one hand on her shoulder. "Let's get out of here."

"Is everyone else gone already?" she asked, standing up on somewhat shaky legs.

"Yeah, basically," he answered.

"Even Hunter?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm afraid so," he informed her. "I believe I saw him leaving about an hour ago when I was walking Trish out to her rental."

"Oh, so Trish is gone, too?"

"She had something to do, I guess," he said wistfully. "But anyway, do you need me to help you pack anything up?"

"Do you think I actually did any work today?" she asked him rudely. She saw the look on his face and quickly mended her sentence. "I mean, I didn't get around to doing any work today so there's nothing I need to pack."

"Oh." He put his hands in his pockets. "Well, I'll walk you out to your rental, then. You never know what could be lying in wait for a pretty woman such as yourself...after midnight...in a parking garage."

"I appreciate your concern, but I might just have to call a limo," she said. He raised an eyebrow in question. "I didn't rent a car this time, Hunter did. If he is gone then I don't have a way to get to the hotel," she explained.

"I can give you a ride to the hotel," he offered.

"I don't want to burden you," she said quickly, flipping her cell phone open. "Let me just find the number to the limo service..."

"Nonsense. I insist on giving you a ride," he said, flipping her cell phone shut. "Besides, it's well past midnight now. No limo driver would be willing to come pick you up right now, and if one was then I'd be forced to worry about your safety."

"Um, ok," she said. She grabbed her luggage. He picked up his duffle bag from the floor. She hadn't even noticed his bag.

"Ready?" he asked. She nodded, so he held the door open for her. She walked out into the hallway and he followed, closing the door behind him. Then he started walking next to her. "Need me to carry that for you?" he asked when he noticed her struggling a little with her luggage.

"No. I'm a strong woman. I can handle it," she said, and continued walking. He admired her strength of mind while holding the door for her as they stepped into the dim indoor parking garage.

"You'd think they'd put some decent lighting in here," he commented sarcastically. "I mean, after all, it _is_ a parking garage."

"It's a wonder people don't have accidents in here all the time," she agreed. She looked around. There were only a few cars still in the garage. "Where's your car?"

"It's that red Mustang over there," he said, pointing.

Her gaze followed in the direction that he was pointing. She looked at the Mustang he was pointing at. Even in the dim lighting, she could see that it was a bright, candy apple red. "_That's_ your rental car?" she asked.

"Yeah. What can I say? I'm addicted to all things fast, including fast cars," he said with a grin and a slight shrug.

"Mustangs have always been my favorite types of cars," she said as they walked over to it.

"Really? Mine too. I have one at home," he said. "But if it's your favorite, why haven't you bought one yet?"

"How do you know that I haven't?" she inquired.

"I know things about you, Stephanie," he said. "But, back to what I was saying. Why haven't you bought one yet?"

"I don't know," she said truthfully. "I guess it's because everyone in my family says that since I'm a classy girl, I should only be content driving a Porsche or a Ferrari."

"Classy _woman_," he corrected her. He thought for a second, then went on. "When will they all learn that you can make your own decisions?" he asked.

"I wish I knew," she said as they reached the car.

He opened the door for her on the passenger's side and waited for her to get in. She hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure if she should get in or not. She hadn't really been that close to him in the past. They hadn't really been friends in the past. The only thing that brought them together was wrestling and the betrayal of the ones they loved most... And that was it. _But I think I can trust him. He's not a deranged psycho killer or anything_, she thought, then got in without another moment of hesitation.

He shut the door and walked around. Popping the trunk open, he carefully put their things inside. He closed the trunk, then jogged around to the driver's side and hopped in. He stuck the key into the ignition and was just about to crank the car up when she put a hand on his right arm.

He looked from the perfectly manicured nails of her delicate hand up her arm slowly until his eyes met hers. "Something wrong?" he asked, his blue eyes burning into hers.

"Not exactly. I'm just wondering..." Her voice trailed off.

"What are you wondering, Princess?" he asked. "Go on and speak your mind."

He had told her to speak her mind, and she planned on doing just that if that was what he wanted. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?" she asked. "We've never been close before, and this is just a little weird, you know? So why?"

"Because I like you," he said, looking at her. He smirked, and then the powerful engine roared to life. "That a good enough explanation for you?"

She shrugged, then grinned despite of how awkward she suddenly felt. "Only if it's the truth."

He looked offended. "Y2J never lies! I thought you knew that."

She smiled as he backed the car up and pulled out of the garage. "Step on it, Chris..."

**A/N: Think they're getting too close too soon? It's somewhere around the first day and they're already hanging out. Maybe I should slow it down a little?**


	6. Almost Friends

**Chapter 6**

"Wow, that was exhilarating," Stephanie said. Her face was flushed, and she was still gripping the side of the seat in the Mustang. Her leg was shaking, but the adrenaline was pumping through her like crazy.

"I'm addicted to speed. It's exciting. It gives me a rush," Chris said with a shrug. He ran his fingers through his messed up hair and smiled. "I see it has the same effect on you, too."

"Do you always drive that fast?" she asked, looking over at him.

"When I can get away with it," he said. "And when it's safe."

"When is it ever safe?" she wanted to know.

"Whenever there are no cliffs around," he replied in a totally serious voice. He ran his fingers through his hair again and felt a knot. "My hair is _so_ messed up."

His hair was everywhere. As he had sped through the deserted streets of the city in the Mustang, the windows had been down, and the wind had whipped through his hair and hers as well. He looked like hell, and it was funny to her, because she knew she probably looked like she personified everything that was hell. She bit her lip in an attempt to hold back her laughter, but it didn't work.

"What is so funny?" he asked when she suddenly burst out laughing.

"You look like hell," she said, laughing so hard that her sides were hurting.

"What's so funny about that?" he asked, sticking his lip out and pouting.

"It's funny because I know that I look like hell, too," she laughed.

He looked at her cracking up and couldn't help but laugh, too. She wasn't exactly his favorite person in the world, but she was definitely moving up on his list. She wasn't a bitch like he had previously thought she was. She was just...a person. And her laughter was infectious.

"You're right," he laughed. "You _do_ look like hell!"

He wasn't exactly sure when her laughter turned into sobs, but at some point after he told her that she looked like hell, she laughed so hard that she started to cry, and the next thing he knew, she was fully crying. She turned her head away from him and looked out the window as tears cascaded down her face.

His laughter died on his lips as soon as he noticed that she wasn't laughing anymore. She was sniffling instead. When had that happened, and more importantly, _how_ had it happened?

"Steph? What's wrong?" he asked cautiously, looking over at her.

"Do you ever blame yourself for Trish cheating on you?" she asked quietly, still looking out the window.

Oh, _that_ was what this was about. "I used to," he said, looking out the other window. "Back when it first happened. Why?"

"Do you ever feel like maybe if you had done something differently then it never would've happened? That you were the blame for everything that happened?" she asked, ignoring his question.

"Is that how you feel?" he asked, turning to look at her. "Like everything that happened with Hunter and Trish is your fault?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "And I keep wondering what I could've done differently. Like, maybe I wasn't experienced enough in bed for him or something, or maybe I didn't treat him well enough..."

"Listen to me," he said, putting his hand under her chin and gently turning her face to make her look at him. "None of what happened is your fault. Hunter and Trish are both adults. You are not responsible for their bad decisions, and neither am I."

More tears came from her eyes. "I try to do things perfectly for him, I try to please him in every way, and somehow I still feel like if the opportunity came up again he would cheat on me all over again."

"What makes you think that?" he asked, removing his hand from her chin and staring into her eyes.

"He... He hasn't touched me in weeks now," she said, sounding even more ashamed than she had sounded back in her office when he had came to see her before. She looked away. "The other night, I came out and told him that I needed him, and he just... He just turned his back on me and went to sleep."

"Your husband ought to be more careful," he said, reaching over to wipe the tears from her face with his hand.

"Why?" she asked, surprised that his hand was on her face.

"Because," he said, gently caressing her face. "Because your needs are going to get out of hand someday, and if he won't take care of you, some other man will..." He continued softly touching her face, smiling when he noticed that her tears had finally stopped. But his hand never moved from her face.

"No matter how crazy or out of hand my needs get, I would never cheat on Hunter," she said softly. She shivered as he tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. "I'm completely devoted to him."

"But if he's not giving you what you need, some other guy is going to come along and realize what a great catch you are," he said. He wanted to clap his hand over his mouth or punch himself, _anything_ to make himself shut the hell up. He didn't know where these stupid words were coming from or why they were coming from his mouth.

"Great catch? Ha!" she scoffed. "I'm repulsive. No man would touch me."

"I'm touching you," he pointed out, cupping her cheek with his hand. "And despite what you're thinking in that pretty little head of yours, Stephanie, you really are a beautiful woman."

She blushed, looking away. She didn't even really like Chris, barely even knew him that well. Yet, his hand caressing her face was awakening desires inside her that it shouldn't have been awakening. She had to get away from him before she did something stupid that she would regret...like kiss him.

"So, um, thanks for the ride," she said, biting her lip.

"Yeah, no problem," he said, quickly moving his hand away from her face. "So, I'm going to pop the trunk and get our stuff out, and then I'll walk you up to your room."

A few minutes later, they were in the elevator on the way to the fifth floor of the hotel. They hadn't spoken since they were in the car. The silence was comforting in a weird sort of way. Stephanie leaned into a corner of the elevator thinking about what Chris had said. Chris leaned against a wall in the elevator discreetly looking at Stephanie and wondering just how they had started to get to know each other so well already. He had worked in the same company as her for years, had been in storylines with her too, but he was only just really getting to know her. It surprised him that she wasn't as brave and invincible as she made herself seem.

"It's funny how our rooms are on the same floor," Stephanie said when the silence got to be too much for her.

"Yeah, funny and convenient," Chris replied.

"Convenient?"

"Yeah. I mean, in case you needed to talk to me or something...about something," he said. He thought about what he had just said, then shook his head. "I think I just confused myself."

"I understood what you were trying to say perfectly," she assured him as the elevator opened. They stepped out of the elevator and walked out into the hall, trying to find her room. They found it right away and stood in front of it. "And I really do appreciate everything you've done for me."

"No problem. We're friends, right?" he said without thinking.

"Not yet," she said truthfully. "But I think we've made considerable progress towards getting there."

"That works for me," he said, nodding his head in approval. "So then this is goodnight?"

"Yeah... So goodnight," she said. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost one o'clock in the morning. "Or really, good morning."

He smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek, once again, totally innocent. "Don't forget what I told you," he said. "Some guy is going to come along and snatch you up if Hunter doesn't start doing his job."

She smiled a genuine smile. "I'll see you later, Chris." She used her card key and opened the door to the hotel room.

"Later, Steph," he said. He watched her walk into the room. He didn't walk away until the door closed and she was safely inside. He smiled to himself for no apparent reason as he walked down the hall, but his smile turned upside down when he heard the scream. He turned around just in time to see Stephanie stomping out of her room with a pissed look on her face, dragging her luggage behind.

"Good, Chris, you're still out here," she said when she saw him. "Can I stay in your room with you tonight?"

"Uh, sure," he said, surprised. "Why'd you scream back there?" She didn't have to answer him. Someone else answered the question for her.

"Steph, we were just talking!" Hunter said, rushing out into the hallway from in the room with no shirt on.

"Yeah, Stephanie, we were just discussing the script!" Trish said, following him out. She stopped walking when she saw Chris standing there.

"Discussing the script at one in the morning?" Chris asked with a look of disbelief on his face. He shook his head angrily. "Come on, Steph, let's go." Both he and Stephanie turned their backs on their two cheating loved ones and headed down the hall to Chris's room...


	7. Is She Better?

**Chapter 7**

Stephanie sat on the couch in Chris's hotel suite looking lost and forlorn, and also pissed. Her hair was now pulled into a tight bun and her face was set and rigid. She had not spoken another word since she had asked Chris if she could stay in his room. She did not trust herself to speak or to look at Chris.

Chris sat on the smaller couch across from the one Stephanie was sitting on and looked at her. She wasn't looking at him and she hadn't opened her mouth to say one word to him since her question in the hallway. He was burning inside, doing all he could to bite his tongue, because the question was there, bouncing around in his mind. He needed to know what _they_ had been doing when she had gone into the room.

She could feel him looking at her, but she didn't turn around. "Go ahead and ask," she said in a flat tone.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, wondering how she could possibly have known that he wanted to ask her something. Was he that obvious, or was she that perceptive?

"You want to know what they were doing in there together," she said, once again in that flat tone.

"I _was_ kind of curious about that," he said, pausing to take his shirt off. "But I don't want to rush you into telling me if you're-"

"They were sitting next to each other on the couch. Close," she interrupted him. "They were talking in low voices, looking at a paper. I guess it was the script. I guess they really were just going over the script."

"Then why did you get so mad?" he asked curiously. "If they were just going over the script like you said they were then what's the big deal?"

He knew he had said the wrong thing when she turned to look at him. "What's the big deal?" she repeated, her eyes taking in his bare chest before looking up into his eyes. "Is that really what you just asked me?"

"Well, um, yeah," he said. He couldn't very well deny it. She had heard him say it; she was right there only a few feet away on the other couch.

"I just... They were sitting so close, Chris!" she exclaimed. "And he had his shirt off, and he was sitting closer to her than he has sat next to me in months! Months!"

"I see." He didn't know what else to say. He had obviously hit a nerve.

"You date Trish. What's so great about her? What does she have that I don't?" she asked seriously. "Help me understand! Is she better in bed than I am?"

His mouth dropped. "Wow, Stephanie, I really wouldn't know how to answer that," he said truthfully. "I've never slept with you, so how am I supposed to know?"

"I can show you," she said. "We could sleep together, and then you can tell me if I'm better than her or not."

"That's not a good idea," he said, standing up. "Just because they're cheating doesn't mean that we should, too."

"I need to know if that's why he cheated with her," she said, standing up. She walked over to him and stood in front him. "And if that means sleeping with you then why not?"

"I'm sorry, but there's no way that I'm going to sleep with you," he said, crossing his arms across his chest. "I'm not the type to cheat."

"I must really be repulsive," she said, turning away from him. "If you won't even... God, I'm desperate, pathetic, _and _repulsive." She walked back over to where she had been sitting before and sat down on the couch again, putting her head in her hands.

"How many times must I tell you? You aren't repulsive," he said, coming over to sit next to her. "You're not pathetic, either. A little desperate, maybe, but nowhere near pathetic."

"I'm sorry," she said, not looking at him. "I don't exactly know what came over me. It's just so frustrating, not knowing what made him cheat with her."

"I wonder sometimes why she cheated on me," he said. "And sometimes I wonder if I'm not great in bed, too. But then I think about it. I'm a living legend. I'm Y2J! Of course I'm good in bed." He smiled at her, even though she didn't see it. "I guess what I'm trying to say is it doesn't matter how great...or not so great...we are in bed, it's still not our faults that they cheated on us."

"But wouldn't you like to know for sure?" she asked, looking at him. She licked her lips slowly and waited for an answer.

He watched her lick her lips, then looked up into her smoldering eyes. When had her eyes gotten so dark? He swallowed hard. "No." He stood up. "I'm going to go take a shower. You can sleep in the bed, ok? I'll take the couch."

"Ok," she agreed, sounding rejected.

"Hey, cheer up," he said, heading for the bathroom. "Things will get better."

"Yeah right," she said. "Don't use all the hot water, ok? Because I need to take a shower, too."

"Yeah, ok," he called back. He went in the bathroom and soon he was standing under the hot spray from the shower. He couldn't believe what she had suggested. She wanted him to sleep with her just so she could find out if Trish was better than her in the bed. He wasn't going to lie to himself. He had thought about it, if only for a brief moment. But she obviously wasn't in her right mind after walking in and finding her husband and his girlfriend together, even if they _had_ been just going over the script... There was just no way that he would sleep with her. No way.

"Mind if I join you?" Stephanie asked, pulling the shower curtain back and successfully surprising the hell out of him. She was totally naked.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, trying to cover himself up. He tried not to look at her but couldn't resist a little peek. She had the perfect body.

"I'm just trying to get in here while the water's still hot. Do you mind?" she asked.

"Yes, I mind!" he snapped.

"Too damn bad, Chris," she said, stepping into the shower. "I haven't been with Hunter in months. I need somebody. You're here."

"You are so going to regret this when you wake up in the morning," he said, trying to cover himself up. "You're going to be pissed at yourself for acting this way."

"You don't need to cover yourself up," she said, stepping up to him and pressing herself against him. She touched his chest, feeling his soft skin beneath her fingers and sighing. "And believe me, I'm totally not going to be pissed at myself in the morning."

"You really need to get some sleep," he said, gulping. He was trying his hardest to resist her, but she was making it difficult by touching him. How had they even got into this whole situation? _I should've left her asleep in her office_, he thought. _I should've told her she couldn't sleep in my room tonight_.

"We'll sleep later," she said, kissing him on his neck and putting her arms around him. "Now please... I haven't been with anyone for months..."

"No, we can't," he said, shaking his head, but he could feel his resolve crumbling as she kissed her way from his neck all the way up to his chin, then near the corner of his mouth.

She bit his bottom lip and smiled up at him. "Didn't you say that if he wouldn't take care of me, some other man would?"

"Well, yeah," he said. "But I never said that man would be me..."

"You never said it wouldn't be..." She kissed him softly, then more urgently.

He didn't kiss her back. Instead, he pushed her away. "Two wrongs don't make a right. You ever heard that saying?"

"This doesn't feel wrong to me," she said, kissing him again. She tangled her fingers in his wet hair and backed him into the wall. "You see," she said, pulling back to look at him. "He hasn't kissed me in so long. He hasn't touched me in forever..." She ran her tongue over whatever skin was closest, which just happened to be his neck. "He doesn't want me anymore."

He felt himself giving in as soon as her tongue touched him. "That jackass doesn't know what he's missing," he said finally, before tilting her face up and kissing her back...

**A/N: I totally didn't plan on this story turning this way...yet. It's like, once my fingers were on the keyboard, they typed what they wanted to type. Whatever. Isn't it weird how stories tend to take on lives of their own?**


	8. Caught

**Chapter 8**

"What did Stephanie get so pissed for?" Trish grumbled, sitting down on the couch again. "We were just _talking_."

"I've given her no reason to trust me," Hunter said with a sigh. He sat down next to her and picked up his script again. "And I'm not wearing a shirt, so she probably got the wrong idea."

"Geez, it's not like we were fucking," she said, rolling her eyes and picking up her copy of the script. "You'd think she wouldn't be so insecure."

"It's because of last time," he said. "There's no doubt in my mind that it's because of when they caught us in the shower."

"You know, that was never supposed to happen," she said, and she actually sounded apologetic. "But I'm not sorry that it happened, though."

"I never wanted to hurt her," he said, leaning back on the couch. He closed his eyes. "I can still remember that day in _perfect _detail..."

_**Flashback: Six Months Ago**_

Trish sat in her locker room anxiously waiting for Hunter to show up. She had to see him, she just had to. She had to be with him, He was just so strong and cocky and unbelievably _bad_. The Cerebral Assassin... The nickname fit him perfectly. He was dastardly and calculating and it was all such a turn-on for her...

"Where the hell _is_ he?" Trish wondered.

Just then, there was a faint knock on her door, a very faint knock. She hurried over to the door and flung it open. It was _him_. Finally. She looked around quickly, and, seeing that the coast was clear, she ushered him inside and closed the door behind him.

"Where the hell have you been? You know that I don't like to be kept waiting!" Trish admonished him.

"Relax, will ya?" Hunter said, pushing her against the door...hard. "I have a wife, remember?"

"Like I give a damn," she said, placing her hands underneath his shirt so she could feel his hot, muscular upper body. "When I tell you that I want you, I expect for you to get your ass here in less than ten minutes."

"You're so demanding," he said, putting his hand on the back of her head.

"Like you don't like it when a woman as horny as I am demands that you come screw her," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Slut," he said shortly, then pushed against the back of her head with his hand and kissed her roughly. He shoved his tongue into her mouth and their tongues wrestled for control. As they kissed, he kept pressing against the back of her head with one hand, forcing the kiss to become deeper. The other arm snaked around her waist and pulled her flush against him.

She pulled back breathlessly and looked up into his eyes. All she could see was pure lust, and she knew that was what he saw when he looked at her, too. With a devilish grin, she ran a hand from his chest down, finally stopping to cup his manhood through his jeans. "Mmmm, someone's deliciously hard," she said, teasing him with a gentle squeeze.

"And it's all for you, baby," he replied. "That is, if you want it."

"Hell yeah I want it!" she exclaimed, pulling his shirt up to expose his chest. "Why the hell do you think I called you over here? So we could have a conversation about fucking quantum physics or something?"

"You'll pay for your sarcasm," he said lightly, grabbing her and pulling her as close to him as she could possibly get.

"When? So far today, you've been all talk and no action," she said, looking up into his eyes and licking her lips. She pressed her lips against his bare chest, then ran her tongue over his skin. Wrapping her tongue around one of his nipples, she glanced up at him. "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to fuck you like you've never been fucked before," he said, picking her up and starting to head for the bathroom. "That's going to be your punishment...or pleasure. How ever you wanna take it."

"You know I'll take it _any way_," she hinted with a little giggle. As he stepped into the bathroom, she stopped smiling. "Wait a minute. Did you lock the door?"

"You locked it. Remember you locked it after I came in?" he reminded her. He wasn't sure about that but he didn't want to waste the time to go back and double check.

"Right," she agreed, reassured. "Of course I locked it."

"Of course you did," he said, putting her down and closing the bathroom door. Immediately, they started undressing. When the clothes were all thrown in a pile on the floor, he stood back and gazed at her while she turned on the shower. "Damn, you have a beautiful body," he said with a low whistle. "Fucking beautiful."

"I know," she said smugly, looking back at him. "And look at what _you're_ packing. God, I just want to swallow it already!"

"You're a horny little bitch," he said, shaking his head. "But that works for me."

"I know it does," she said, stepping into the shower and pulling him in behind her. "But enough talk. You said you were gonna fuck me like I've never been fucked before... Don't make promises that you don't intend to keep."

"Oh, I do intend to keep that promise," he assured her, leaning down. "I'm going to make you scream..."

Chris Jericho knocked on the door to Hunter's locker room. Just after he knocked, the door opened, and he found himself face to face with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. He didn't really know what to say to her because they weren't all that close, but he had come on a mission. He was looking for his girlfriend.

"Hey, Stephanie," he said quietly.

"Hi Chris. Call me Steph," she replied in the same tone of voice he was using.

"Ok... Steph," he replied.

"Have you seen Hunter?" she asked him quite suddenly.

"No. I was actually coming to see if Trish was here," he answered, brows furrowing. "I mean, I know they have this storyline together, so I thought maybe..."

"That maybe they would be here working on it? Same thing I thought," she said, shrugging. "Guess not, though. Did you check her locker room?"

"Trish has a locker room?" he asked, looking surprised.

She laughed. "Well, yeah. She's considered the top diva around here, so of course she has her own locker room," she explained. "Didn't she tell you?"

"No," he said, sounding awed.

"Well, how about we both go check and see if they're in her locker room going over the script?" she suggested.

"Ok," he agreed.

They walked down the hallway in a comfortable silence, headed for Trish's locker room. Once they reached the room with her name on the door, Stephanie knocked lightly. There was no reply. Chris reached for the doorknob.

"Wait. She could be getting dressed or something," she warned.

"I've seen her naked _plenty_ of times," he joked, giving her a lazy grin.

"Oh, right," she said, feeling dumb. "Well go ahead and open it."

The door was unlocked, so they stepped inside the room. Immediately, they could hear the shower in the bathroom going.

"So she's taking a shower. I'm going in there," he said. "Hell, maybe I'll join her."

"When you go in there, can you ask her if she knows where Hunter is?"

"Sure thing."

"Thanks."

Stephanie watched Chris walk over to the bathroom door. He opened it, and that's when they both heard them. The voices. The moans. They looked at each other, and Stephanie quickly got up and walked over to the door and stood next to Chris. They both listened.

"Oh God... Keep going, keep going," a female voice moaned.

"Like anyone could make me stop," a male voice countered.

Stephanie looked at Chris, tears already falling down her face. His face was turning red as he listened to the sounds of his girlfriend and Hunter having sex. He was getting angrier and angrier by the second. He could feel the rage building up inside more and more.

"Oooh, Hunter, Chris could never do me like this..." Trish's voice trailed off as Hunter kissed her neck as he stroked in and out of her.

"Trish, you're such a little slut. Why can't Stephanie be more like you?" Hunter asked, not slowing down.

"I'm _your _slut," she moaned.

"Yes, you're _my_ slut," he grunted. "My...slut..."

Chris couldn't keep standing there at the door. He pushed the door open all the way and stalked over to the shower with Stephanie right on his heels. He pulled the shower curtain back and saw a sight that would be in his mind forever: Trish and Hunter going at it like rabbits. The front of Trish's body was pushed up against the tiles as Hunter pounded into her from behind. They were so into each other that they didn't even notice that they had an audience.

"What the fuck is this?" Stephanie asked, speaking first.

Hunter and Trish turned around in surprise and their mouths dropped, but they didn't even try to break apart. They were too caught up in the heat of passion, and to stop without finishing would mean certain death in their opinion.

"Stephanie!" Hunter exclaimed. "I'm... Um..."

"Chris, this isn't what it looks like," Trish managed to say.

"Fuck! Why are you doing this to me, you fucking whore!" Chris exclaimed. "And with him?"

"I had to...for the script," Trish answered, closing her eyes.

"And you two are still going to keep at it?" Chris asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Can't...just...stop," Hunter said.

"You two are fucking pathetic!" Chris yelled, turning around. He started picking up whatever he saw and throwing it. "Fucking pathetic! Playing us like this is all just a game! What the hell?" His rage was getting the best of him. It had built up inside him and was overflowing. And now, he was dealing with it the only way that he knew how: with violence.

"Let's just leave," Stephanie said tearfully to Chris. "I can't be here and watch this, and you're getting violent. Let's just leave."

"I don't wanna fucking leave! I wanna hurt them! Both of them!" Chris said angrily.

Stephanie put her hand on his arm and started to lead him out of the bathroom. "We're leaving _now_," she said in an her "bossy" voice. "Now let's go." Both of them took one last look over at the shower and then left in disgust, but they were both more hurt than anything...

_**End Flashback**_

"I can still remember that day, too," Trish said, leaning on his arm. "She left with him just like she did tonight."

"Yeah, I remember. I never meant for her to find out that way, you know?" Hunter replied. "I wanted to just divorce her then, but you..."

"But I wouldn't let you," she finished. "I already told you why."

"The damn plan. I know already," he said, frowning. "But this is hard for me, being married to her but loving you. I don't like hurting her, and that's all I'm doing to her."

"We have to stick to the plan," she said firmly. "I know you don't like hurting her, but you have to stick to the plan."

"I know, I know," he said with a sigh. "And I'm going to stick to the plan. But only because I lo-"

"Don't you dare say that word again," she said in a menacing voice.

"You need to hear it. I love you," he said, looking at her.

She slapped him in the face as hard as she could as tears filled her eyes. "I said don't say it! I don't want to hear you say it!"

He glared at her and softly rubbed his cheek where she had just slapped him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, kissing him softly. "Just please don't tell me that again..."

**A/N: These people have problems. LOL!**


	9. The Morning After

**Chapter 9**

Chris laid in bed with his arm around Stephanie in a protective manner. He had slept only briefly during the night...morning, really. He couldn't stop thinking about what he and Stephanie had done. What had started out as an intense need to prove that their lovers had not cheated on them because they weren't up to par in bed had turned into something maddeningly passionate. And it had lasted for quite a long time...

He could remember every little detail of their encounter. He had been so surprised when she had stepped into the shower. He'd tried his hardest to resist her, but once he felt her tongue on his skin, any restraint he had felt disappeared, and he'd kissed her. The kiss had been shocking to both of them. They had pulled back and looked at each other, searching each other's faces. And then they'd been drawn together like magnets, horny magnets, but magnets nonetheless. From the shower to the bed, they had kissed each other softly, just touching, feeling. One thing had led to another thing...

And here they were. Chris gave a content sigh and wrapped his arm around her a little tighter, remembering everything they had done. He could remember the tears that had escaped from her eyes as he had hovered over her in the bed. He had felt horrible about the tears, wondering if they had been because of him. But then he'd remembered exactly why they were doing it in the first place. He'd felt an overbearing need to comfort her, this woman who hadn't been touched by her own husband in months. He remembered kissing her tears away. She had kissed him softly, tenderly, urging him to continue. And continue he had, slowly, tenderly, giving her the type of loving that she had wanted and deserved.

He felt her move slightly in his arms and knew that she was waking up.

Stephanie opened her eyes and briefly wondered where the hell she was. But then she remembered, and she wondered how she could have forgotten, even if it was only momentarily. She placed her hand on the arm that he had around her and felt the warmth coming from him. She hadn't been this close to any man in months, and his body pressing against hers was very comforting to her.

"Morning, beautiful," he whispered to her. He moved her hair over and pressed his lips against her neck.

"Morning," she whispered back, shivering a little when his soft lips touched her skin.

"You were better than her," he said quietly. "So much better than her."

She smiled to herself. "And you were better than him. You're so gentle and sweet. God, you were amazing."

"I know," he said smugly. "But...after what we did...how do you feel?"

"I feel satisfied," she said, closing her eyes. She intertwined her fingers with his and yawned. "Let's just go back to sleep."

"Good idea," he said, yawning as well. Together, they fell back to sleep, each one thinking about what had happened a few hours before...

About three hours later, Chris woke up to find himself alone in an empty bed. He looked around and saw no traces of Stephanie at all. He looked on the bedside table and a smile played on his lips. There on the table was a flower, some kind of note, and breakfast. He went into the bathroom and got cleaned up, brushing his teeth and pulling his hair into a loose ponytail. He glanced over at the shower and thought, _This is where it all began._

He walked into the bedroom and over to the table. He sat down on the side of the bed and picked up a note. It was on a piece of stationary that read "**FROM THE DESK OF THE PRINCESS**" in big bold, capital letters. He smiled and thought, _From her desk, huh?_ He started to read the note, which said:

_Chris,_

_Thanks for everything. You gave me what I've been needing for months. You made me feel beautiful. Thank you for being there for me when no one else (namely Hunter) was. Now, I have to leave and get to work and you look so peaceful lying here sleeping. I just can't bring myself to disturb you and wake you up. Lord knows I didn't let you sleep much... Anyway, here's my cell phone number just in case you want to call. Oh, by the way, I already knew that I was better in bed than her. You just confirmed it..._

_Thanks,_

_Steph_

_P.S. The tables have turned, huh? I know you're probably the one used to getting up and leaving the chicks in the morning... LOL!_

He finished reading her note and looked down at his watch. He knew that he needed to be getting to work soon as well, but first... First, he was going to eat his breakfast...

Stephanie sat in her office staring off into space. She knew she should've been working, but she was distracted, very distracted. Her mouth was practically watering as she relived what had happened between her and Chris. He had been so gentle, so sweet and passionate that it was surprising, not to mention enjoyable. It was funny, really, how they had never been good friends before the previous day. They had barely even had a conversation that wasn't work-related. And yet...they had slept together.

Someone knocked lightly on her office door. "Come in," she called, and she was surprised at how cheerful and light-hearted she sounded. She didn't have a care in the world, it seemed, even though she had walked in on her husband and his former mistress only a couple of hours before. Granted, those two really _had_ been looking at their scripts, but it was all too suspicious the way Hunter's shirt was off and they were sitting close together...

"Steph, I know you don't want to see me right now, but we need to talk," Hunter said, coming into the office. He shut the door behind him, but that was a kind of difficult task for him, considering he was carrying a dozen of roses in each arm. He stood looking at her with pleading eyes, waiting for her to say something.

Stephanie looked at her husband and surprised even herself by smiling. "Seeing that I am in _such_ a good mood today, I'm all ears," she told him. She leaned her elbows on her desk and waited expectantly.

"I know you want to know what Trish and I...what we were doing last night," he said, walking over to her.

"Let me ask you one question, just one," she said. "And you have to promise to be honest."

"Ask me anything," he said, standing by her desk.

"Did you sleep with Trish in our hotel room before I came in?" she asked, her voice not wavering.

"Steph, I swear that I did not sleep with Trish in our hotel room," he said, putting the roses down on her desk. "I want you to trust me, to believe me, when I tell you that we were only going over the script."

"Why was your shirt off?" she asked curiously.

"It was hot in our room," he said honestly. "Stupid air conditioner..."

"Ok, honey, thanks for the roses," she said, touching the roses and not looking at him.

"I'm forgiven? Just like that?" he asked, incredulously. "I was sure that you'd make me get on my knees and beg or something."

"I'm just in a ridiculously good mood today," she said, shrugging.

"Why are you in such a good mood?" he asked curiously. "It's like you're so radiant today, Steph."

"I know. I'm glowing, aren't I?" she said, smiling at the memory of _why_ she was radiant.

"Yeah. You look beautiful today," he said.

"Thanks..." She looked down at her watch. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to go to a meeting." She stood up, smiling at him, then left the office, leaving him staring after her with a look of confusion and awe on his face...


	10. Let's Talk

**Chapter 10**

"Wow. Someone's glowing today," Vince McMahon said, observing his daughter as she entered his office. "You're in a much better mood than you were yesterday."

"You're the second person who's said that," Stephanie said, sitting down in a chair. "I do look good today, don't I?"

"Cocky, cocky Steph," he said with a smile, shaking his head.

"I get it from my dad," she countered. "Damn those McMahon genes!"

He laughed at her joke, then got serious. "The reason I wanted to see you was to see if you were really ok with this new storyline," he said. "Because we can still scrap it right now."

"And deprive the fans of the natural _onscreen chemistry_ between Hunter and Trish?" she asked sarcastically. "Now _why_ would we want to do that?"

"Well, because," he said, choosing to ignore her sarcasm. "You're not the only who was upset about this storyline. Chris Jericho wasn't very pleased with it when I talked to him yesterday."

"Chris?" She smiled at the mention of her lover's name, because that's what he had become. That's what she now considered him: her lover. "I don't think he'll be worrying about that right now. I'm sure he doesn't even care."

"How would you know?" he asked curiously. "From what I saw and heard yesterday, you two aren't friends. Hell, you're barely even acquaintances."

_We're lovers_, she thought, smiling again. _And he's so good..._

"Steph?"

"Oh, sorry, Daddy, I was thinking about something," she said, looking at him and trying not to think of all the things she and Chris had done together. "But like I said before, I'm sure Chris doesn't even care about it right now."

"What don't I care about?" Chris asked, stepping into the room. He walked over and sat down in the chair next to Stephanie's chair. He looked over and locked eyes with her. "Hey, Steph," he said in a low voice.

She smiled at him. "Hi, Chris," she said shyly. "How are you today?"

"I'm feeling wonderful today, better than I've felt in months, actually," he answered. "And how are you feeling today?"

"The only word I can think of today to describe how I feel is beautiful," she said honestly.

"Good. You _are_ beautiful today. Everyday, but moreso today," he answered.

"I was just telling her how much she was glowing today," Vince said, wanting to be a part of the conversation. "Women are so beautiful when they're glowing."

"I agree," Chris said, looking at Stephanie. "Beautiful."

Stephanie looked down and blushed. It felt good to be told that she was beautiful. It felt good to share a passionate night with a man like Chris. And it felt good to be looked at the way Chris was looking at her...

"Well I'm glad you're both here," Vince said finally, breaking the silence that had overtaken the room. "Now we can make the official decision."

"What official decision?" Chris asked, tearing his eyes away from Stephanie. It was a hard thing for him to do, because she looked absolutely beautiful, and he loved knowing that he was the reason why.

"Yeah, Daddy, what official decision?" Stephanie echoed.

"I thought about what you both said yesterday about how this storyline could affect each of your relationships," Vince began. "And I came to a decision. I'm leaving it up to you two to decide if we go through with this storyline. Ultimately, it comes down to what you two say."

"I don't care anymore," Stephanie said honestly. She looked at Chris. "I've found something else to occupy my mind and my time."

"And honestly, Vince, Trish and Hunter do have chemistry onscreen, just like you said. Why not capitalize on it?" Chris asked.

Vince eyed them both suspiciously. "I don't understand," he said, looking at them both. "Yesterday you were both very upset, and now it's like neither of you care."

"We still care," Stephanie said, still looking at Chris. "But we realized that it's selfish of us to protest against something that could benefit the company so much."

Vince smiled, obviously satisfied with her explanation. "I'm glad you're both team players. Now, unless there's anything else you two would like to discuss, you're free to go."

"If that's the case, then Steph, mind if I have a word with you?" Chris asked, standing up.

"Sure thing," Stephanie replied, standing up as well. "I'll meet you outside... I need to talk to Daddy for a minute."

"I'll wait outside for you," Chris said. He resisted the urge to touch her, instead turning on his heel and heading for the door. Once outside, he leaned against the wall next to the door and closed his eyes. He couldn't stop thinking about what they had done a few hours before. He found it kind of ironic how they hadn't even been friends on the day before, and yet they had shared something so passionate and beautiful...

"There you are, Chris!" Trish exclaimed, walking up to him. "We need to talk."

"About what?" he asked, blushing because of what he had been thinking about.

"About what you walked in on back at the hotel," she said. "It's not what you think it was, baby. There's nothing going on between Hunter and me that isn't business-related."

"Um, ok, that's great," he said absently, hearing Stephanie's voice grow louder. That could only mean that Stephanie was getting closer to the door, and _that_ meant that Trish needed to go. Now. "Why don't you meet me in my locker room or something?"

"What's so important that we can't talk now?" she demanded.

"I have to talk to Stephanie, ok? So just go wait for me somewhere else!" he said in a harsh voice. Her eyes widened at the tone of his voice, and surprisingly, she looked hurt. "Look, I didn't mean to be rude, but I really _do_ need to talk to Stephanie. I'm sure you understand."

"Perfectly," she said shortly. "I'll see you whenever you decide I'm important enough to see you." He grunted impatiently in reply and looked away, and she took the hint and walked away.

As soon as Trish disappeared down the hall, the door opened and Stephanie stepped out of the office smiling. "So what's up?" she asked him. "What did you want to talk about?"

He looked at her for a minute, just taking in all of her beauty. He hadn't seen her smile like that in months. Of course, if she _had_ been smiling like that anytime during the last six months, he wouldn't have noticed,. He had been too caught up in all of the pain and anger left over from Trish's betrayal...

"Chris?" she said, one eyebrow raised. He seemed to be lost in thought again. She observed him and couldn't help but think that he looked absolutely gorgeous when he was deep in thought that way. He had that faraway look in his beautiful blue eyes, and he was biting his lip. Why hadn't she noticed how truly handsome he was before?

"Sorry about that," he said, shaking his head. "I was just thinking."

"It's ok," she replied. "I get that way, too... But what did you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about what happened between us," he said in a low voice. "But not here. Somewhere else where we can be alone."

"Alone," she repeated. That was really one of the only words from his sentence that had registered in her brain. He wanted to be somewhere alone with her... The possibilities were virtually endless, and she knew that she wouldn't want to _just_ talk if they ended up alone again.

"Yes, alone," he confirmed. "I don't think anyone else should know about what happened, you know?"

"I have the perfect place in mind," she said, licking her lips lightly as they locked eyes once again. "How about you follow me?"

He nodded, and she turned around and started walking down the hallway with him following. He lagged a good one or two feet behind, and he was obviously looking at her butt. She could feel his gaze burning her, and she welcomed it, adding an extra swing to her hips for him. She stopped in front of a deserted locker room and opened the door for him, indicating that he should enter first.

"Ladies first," he said, holding the door for her instead.

She smiled and stepped into the dark locker room. He came inside and shut the door, then locked it just to be safe. After locking the door, he turned to look at her, and she met and held his gaze. "So you want to talk about what happened with us," she said in a low voice. He nodded. "So...what?"

"How did you feel about it?" he asked. "I mean, I know you liked it, but there's more to it than that, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," she said, nodding her head. She tried to appear as though she was cool, calm, and collected, but she didn't think it was working very well. When had this happened? Why was she wanting him again already?

"Something wrong?" he asked, stepping a little closer to her and looking at her, apparently concerned. He touched her cheek softly. "You look kind of flushed..."

"It's nothing," she said, licking her lips. "I'm just... I keep thinking about what we did... It's been on my mind for hours now, and..." Her voice trailed off as she stared into his eyes. "Well, have you been thinking about it, too?"

"How could I not think about it?" he asked, smiling lightly at her. "I was waiting for you outside your dad's office, and Trish came up, and I was thinking about what we did..."

She smiled at that. "Did she come trying to clear her good name, saying that nothing's going on with her and Hunter?"

"Yeah, but I was kind of rude. I sent her away," he said. "Why, did Hunter do the same thing?"

"Yep, but I just forgave him," she said, shrugging.

"Forgave him? Just like that?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I just needed to get out of the room and _away_ from him, and that was the only way I could," she explained. "And _you_ had me in such a ridiculously good mood..."

"Did I?" he asked, stepping closer to her again. He wanted to touch her again, but he didn't know if she wanted what they'd done to be a one-time deal or not.

"Yes, you did," she said, breathing a little faster as he closed the distance between them and they stood face to face. When he didn't move, she took the iniative and put her arms around him. "So are you going to kiss me or not?"

He smirked at her as he pulled her body close against his. "I am..."

"Good. You had me worried," she said, and then she waited for him to kiss her.

He kissed her gently, just taking it slow. He didn't want to rush things with her... What was he thinking? They'd slept together, wasn't that rushing things? Before they knew it, he had her pressed against the door, practically kissing the life out of her.

"God, Chris, did anyone ever tell you that you're an awesome kisser?" she whispered breathlessly when she pulled away.

"I'm the King of the World... I already knew," he teased, capturing her lips again.

They kissed for what seemed like forever before she pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I want you, Chris...again."

He smiled at her. "I thought you'd never ask..."

**A/N: So this chapter was really difficult to write. I didn't know where to go with it! Hopefully you guys didn't get too confused with it. Next time it'll be better!**


	11. Closer Than Close

**Chapter 11**

Trish stomped angrily down the hall. She was carrying her copy of the script, and she was wearing a heavy scowl on her normally pretty face. She had waited for Chris to come to his locker room so they could talk. He had specifically said that he needed to talk to Stephanie, and then he would come meet Trish in his locker room. _Well talking doesn't take that long_, she thought, as she came to a stop in front of Hunter's closed locker room door. She knocked three times on the door, then waited impatiently for it to open.

Hunter was sitting in his locker room when he heard someone knocking on the door. At first, he thought it might've been Stephanie, but then he realized that Stephanie wouldn't knock on the door. She was his wife, and therefore she knew she had the right to come right in. _I wonder who it is_, he thought as he got up and went over to the door. He opened the door and was surprised to see Trish standing there.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking around the hallway quickly. Seeing no one else out there, he pulled her inside, then shut and locked the door. "Shouldn't you be trying to patch things up with Chris right now?"

"Believe it or not, Chris is too _busy_ for me right now," Trish said, walking over to the couch and sitting down. "I mean, he was supposed to meet me back in his locker room after he had a 'talk' with Stephanie, but it's been about an hour since I last saw him..."

"Wait, he was talking to Steph?" Hunter asked, walking over and sitting next to her.

"He wasn't actually talking to her when I saw him. He was waiting outside of Vince's office for her," she replied. "But he told me that he would meet me in his locker room and we would talk about what he walked in on back at the hotel."

"You know, I think Stephanie probably called him or something," he said, leaning back on the couch. "It would make perfect sense, after this morning..."

"What happened this morning?"

"I came to Stephanie's office to apologize to her, and I brought her two dozen roses," he said, smiling a little. "I told her that nothing was going on between us in the hotel room, and she actually forgave me."

"So why do you think she called Chris?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, looking at her. "They shared a hotel room, and they probably stayed up all morning talking about what we could've been doing in the hotel room before she walked in. They probably jumped to all kinds of conclusions about us."

She smiled, leaning over to kiss him. Then she pulled back. "You know, I bet some of their conclusions were correct. You remember what we did after they left?"

"You mean after you _slapped_ me for telling you how I felt?" he asked pointedly.

"Look, I thought I told you I was sorry for slapping you," she said in a tired voice. "I thought I made that up to you...all night long."

"You did," he said shortly. "But we're off the subject. I believe we were talking about Stephanie and Chris."

"Right. You were talking about why you think Stephanie called Chris," she said. "That is, _if_ she called him. Why would she?"

"Like I said, they shared a room together, and they probably stayed up the whole time speculating about what was happening with us. I'm sure they felt pretty upset or whatever, so this morning after I proved to Steph that nothing was going on between us-"

"-although something _is_ going on between us," she interrupted.

"Right, although something is going on between us," he agreed. "Anyway, I'm sure she felt compelled to call him so she could assure him that you're not cheating on him or whatever. That's probably why he said that he had to talk to her when you saw him earlier."

She thought about it for a minute. "Well," she said after a minute. "You do have a point there, I guess. I mean, it would make sense..."

"I know it would. I'm intuitive. I know these kinds of things," he said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Just like I know that I love you, and I want _you _to know that, too."

"I slapped you last night for saying that, and I won't hesitate to do it again," she warned him. She hated when he told her that he loved her. She didn't want to hear him say those words, because those three simple words had the ability to ruin her plan, especially if she believed them. This plan...she had worked so hard on it, and she didn't want anything to get in the way of it.

"Trish, why don't you want to hear me tell you how I feel?" he asked. "No wait, don't answer that. Just...listen. I love you, ok? So deal with it."

"Hunter, damn it!" she exclaimed angrily. She reached back, one hand ready to connect with his face, but he caught her hand and pulled her to him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm kissing you," he answered, then pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly. He lived for her kisses, he craved them. He really did love her. She was the whole reason that he hadn't been intimate with Stephanie in six whole months. He wanted to be faithful to her. It was ironic, really, but it didn't matter.

She kissed him back, and all thoughts of why Chris had wanted to talk to Stephanie flew out of her mind. It didn't matter, anyway. She knew she had her man wrapped around her pinky finger because he'd stayed with her even after he'd caught her fooling around with Hunter in the shower... So there was really nothing to worry about as far as Chris and Stephanie were concerned... She smiled against Hunter's lips before pulling him down on top of her...

_**In a deserted locker room...**_

"Are you ok?" Chris asked in a low voice. He let Stephanie rest against him while she caught her breath and floated back down to reality. He couldn't help but let a smile come across his lips as he looked at her. He never would've imagined that they would hook up with each other. After all, she was a married woman, and he wasn't exactly single himself. Still, though, he felt good knowing that he was the reason she was so..._satisfied_...at the moment.

"I'm better than ok," Stephanie said, kissing him lightly as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm...perfect."

"Good," he said, smiling against her lips. He pulled away a little and looked at her, brushing her hair back from her face. "I can't believe we just did that...again."

"I can't believe it, either," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "Like, you have to admit, we've never really been close..."

"Figuratively speaking, that's true," he agreed, just holding her against him. "But _literally_ speaking, I'd have to say we've been closer than close lately."

She laughed. "Yeah, you're right," she said, lifting her head from his shoulder to look into his eyes. "I just want to thank you... I mean, Hunter hasn't touched me in six months, and to tell you the truth, I was beginning to wonder if anyone would ever want me again."

"Your husband doesn't know what he's missing. I don't get why he cheated with Trish anyway. You're so much better than her," he said truthfully.

"You mean that?" she asked, surprised.

"I don't have any reason to lie to you, Steph," he answered, smirking at her. He looked down at his watch. "Damn, it's been nearly two hours since I told Trish I'd meet her back in my locker room..."

"Yeah, Hunter's probably looking for me, too," she said, pulling away so she could get dressed again.

They both got cleaned up and got dressed, and about ten minutes later, they were headed for the door.

"Maybe I should go out first, and then you come out like two minutes after me," she suggested, placing one hand on the doorknob as she looked at him.

"Sounds good to me," he agreed, nodding. When she unlocked the door, however, he placed his hand over hers, then pulled her to him.

"I thought we were leaving," she said, looking into his eyes.

"We are, but I haven't given you a proper goodbye," he said, smiling a little. He kissed her softly, then pulled away. "If you need to feel like you're wanted... If your loser husband doesn't come to his senses sometime soon, find me and we can do this again..."

"I'll be sure to take you up on that offer," she said, looking at his lips. She leaned over and kissed him back, then pulled away. "I'll see you later... Maybe we can hang out when Hunter and Trish are out there in the ring tonight." She gave him one last lingering look, then slipped cautiously out of the room and shut the door softly behind her.

He waited for two minutes, then slipped out of the room as well, with a huge smile on his face. He walked through the halls and found his locker room, then went inside. He was surprised to find Trish sitting there, looking a little disheveled. "Hey," he said quietly, shutting the door behind him. He walked over and sat in a chair. "So what did you want to talk about again?"

"Where have you been?" Trish asked, glaring at him. "I've been waiting for you for, like, two hours!" It was a blatant lie, of course, but she was confident that he didn't know that.

"Hey, I told you that I had to talk to Stephanie," he said, scowling at her. "What, you don't believe me?"

Her look softened. "Of course I believe you. You've never given me a reason not to."

He felt guilty for a minute, but then he thought about how she had betrayed him six months before, and the guilt passed. "So... You wanted to talk..."

"Yes, about what you walked in on," she said. "I just want you to know that nothing's going on with me and him. We were only-"

"Going over the script, I know. Steph told me already," he interrupted. "It's ok. I understand that you're going to have to spend some time with him, and surprisingly, I'm ok with that."

"But you hate him," she said, in awe. "What's going on with you?"

_Stephanie_, he thought with a smile. He stood up. "I'm just in a really good mood... I'm going to catering to grab some food. Want something?"

"No, I'm not very hungry right now," she said, watching him.

"I'll be back in a few," he said, and then he left.

She watched him go, feeling bewildered. "Something's up with him," she said out loud. "But I can't put my finger on it..."


	12. Kane Knows!

**Chapter 12**

"You seem happy today," Hunter said, observing his wife. "What have you been up to?"

"You want the truth?" Stephanie asked. She was sitting on the couch while he got ready for his match against Kane. It was time for the new storyline to make its way to TV, and she was surprised to find that she was looking forward to him going out there. Maybe she was just looking forward to getting the chance to hang out with Chris again...

"Oh, but of course," he said, sitting down to lace up his boots. He glanced over at her. "Who's making you smile?"

"Chris," she said simply.

"Jericho?" he asked, raising his eyebrows when she nodded. "How's he making you smile? You two barely even know each other."

"We're getting to know each other," she countered. "We figured, since you and Trish are going to be spending a lot of time together because of this new storyline, that we should get to know each other better." She smiled at him. "Don't you think that's a good idea?"

"Hey, if it makes you happy, I'm cool with it," he said, shrugging as he stood up. He walked over to her and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. "You know I'm all about making you happy, Steph."

"How sweet," she said absently, leaning against him. She didn't get many hugs from him. Hugs, kisses, and other physical contact with him had been rare in the past six months, and she wondered why he suddenly felt the need to hug her. She wasn't going to complain, though. He was her husband, and despite his betrayal with Trish, she still loved him so much... Maybe _too_ much, if she was honest with herself.

"No, you're the sweet one, Steph," he said, pulling away. He looked over at the clock on the wall. "Oh, I'm going to have to leave in a few minutes. My match is coming up."

"Yeah, I know, your match against Kane," she said, biting her lip lightly. "Are you going to be ok?"

"I'll be great out there. I'm _always_ great out there," he said cockily. He looked at her, and a serious expression appeared on his face. "Are _you_ going to be ok?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, sitting back down. "I'm not going to be out there with you. I won't be in harm's way at all."

"I know, but Trish will be out there," he said in a gentle voice. "Are you sure you'll be ok watching me and her out there...together? You know, after what happened?"

"Believe it or not, I'll be fine," she answered him, looking away. "Chris and I are going to watch it together."

"Oh really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows again. "You and Jericho?"

"Yeah, and why are you calling him Jericho? He _does_ have a first name, you know," she snapped.

"Sorry, don't get all mad about it. I've always called him that," he said, putting his hands up. "I didn't know that it offended you."

"It doesn't," she said softly, her attitude changing immediately. "Why would it?"

"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "You're hot and cold today, Steph, sort of moody. Are you really ok?"

"I told you, I'm fine," she insisted. "Quit bugging me about it."

"If you say so," he said, giving her an odd look.

"I do," she said, returning his look. She held his gaze steadily, and she wouldn't have looked away had it not been for someone knocking on the door. She jumped up from the couch and brushed past him, swinging the door open a few seconds later. "Hey, Chris," she said, beaming when she saw Chris leaning in the doorway.

"Hey there, Princess," Chris said, smiling at her. He looked over her shoulder and saw Hunter standing there. "Oh yeah, Trish is waiting for you. You might want to get a move on, if you don't want her to be bitching at you."

"Yeah, you're right, Jericho," Hunter said. Stephanie glared at him, and he quickly corrected himself. "I meant, you're right, Chris." He looked at Chris and Stephanie, then walked out the door, bumping into Chris's shoulder on the way out.

"The tension in here was so thick I could cut it with a knife," Chris said, looking at Stephanie. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. I'm feeling kind of out of it, know what I mean?" Stephanie asked.

"Are you sick?" he asked, concerned. He put a hand up to her forehead. "Hmmm. You don't seem to have a fever, but when I look at you, you look pretty hot."

"I'm always hot," she joked, reaching out to touch him. "Don't you think so?"

"Yep. You're quite the hottie," he agreed, moving his hand from her forehead to her cheek. "It's nice to see you smiling."

"It's nice to _be_ smiling," she said, placing her hand over the hand he had up to her face. "Um, so do you want to go somewhere and watch this match?"

"Sure," he said, hastily removing his hand from her face. "Where to?"

"Does my office sound ok?" she asked, looking at him.

"Sounds perfect to me," he said. "Let's go..."

Trish stood waiting near the gorilla for Hunter. "I'll give him five more minutes, and then I'm going to get pissed at him," she said to herself.

"You don't even have to be out there yet," Kane said from behind her. "You don't have to come out until near the end of our match."

"I know that already," she snapped. "But I need to talk to Hunter before, to work out some last minute...stuff."

"Sure, that's what you want him for," he said sarcastically, shaking his head.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"That you're not as careful as you'd like to think that you are," he said mysteriously. "Now, I don't like to talk during the last two minutes before my matches. It's my good luck ritual, so if you'll kindly...talk to yourself or something..."

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes. She saw Hunter walking in their direction and she hurried over to meet him. "What took you so long?" she asked.

"What are you talking about? I'm not late," Hunter pointed out.

"You know I like to be early for my matches," she reminded him.

"This is _my _match," he said. "And plus, I got a little caught up talking to Steph and Chris."

"Chris? _My_ Chris?" He nodded and she frowned. "He's with your wife?"

"Well, yeah," he said with a shrug. "Why?"

"He was acting weird today," she said, remembering the way he'd acted when he'd come back to his locker room after his "talk" with Stephanie. "I think something's up with him."

"You know, come to think of it, Steph was acting kind of funny, too," he said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "She was in a really good mood, and when I called him Jericho, she practically bit my head off for it. It's like one minute she was really happy and the next second she was in this really foul mood..."

"Hey, you two lovebirds," Kane called. "I'm going out. You're up next, Hunter." He smiled at the looks on their faces, then disappeared through the curtains as his music went off.

"What the hell did he mean by that?" Hunter asked, mouth agape. "Lovebirds?"

"He... I think he knows something about us," Trish said quietly. "Before you came up, he said that we weren't being as careful as we thought we were..."

"I wonder how much he knows?"

"I wonder how much he'd tell?"

They looked at each other, and then his music went off and he stepped through the curtains without another word...

**A/N: I know this chapter is kind of short, but I really didn't know what else to write in this chapter... Oh, and if you haven't been reading my story "The Princess and The Duke" you should totally check it out. The title might be a little misleading to some of you, and it's sort of a Chris/Steph/Rich triangle... I just uploaded Chapter 6 and parts of it are kinda...steamy...between a very married Chris and a very single Steph... It has to be my favorite chapter of them all!**


	13. FriendsWith Benefits

**Chapter 13**

"Come on in, we're here," Stephanie said, opening the door to her office. She stepped inside and held the door for Chris to come inside. He walked inside and she shut the door, then started to walk over to the couch, but he grabbed her arm. "What?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Don't you think that you should lock the door?" Chris asked her, looking into her eyes. "I mean, you never know what'll happen and I, for one, don't want anyone walking in on us and finding us in a compromising position."

"And what position did you have in mind for us to try?" she asked coyly, reaching behind her to lock the door as he had suggested.

He pulled her to him, putting his arms loosely around her waist. "Steph, I wasn't suggesting that we should...you know," he said in a soft voice. "I was just saying, just in case we _did_ happen to fall into each other's arms again...that maybe we should take that extra precaution and lock the door."

"Right," she said quickly, looking away. She was blushing a little, and she knew it. "I must sound like a teenager with raging hormones, all needy and everything..."

"No, you don't," he assured her quickly, and she smiled gratefully. "So, are we going to watch this match together?"

"If you want to," she said softly.

"That's what you invited me here for, right?" he asked.

"Sort of," she mumbled after a brief silence. She pulled away, walked over to her desk, and sat down. "Why don't you turn on the TV and watch the match while I get some work done?"

"Work?" he asked. She nodded and he shook his head. "I thought you wanted to watch the match _with_ me, Steph. Did you change your mind?"

"N-no," she whispered, her voice cracking. She leaned over some random papers that she had spread out over her desk earlier and tried to read them, but the words swam before her eyes.

"Steph? What's wrong?" he asked, walking over to her desk. This was suddenly a very familiar situation, almost an exact repeat of what had happened the day before. She was crying... But this time, he knew what to do. Like the day before, he sat on the edge of the desk, then pulled her out of her chair and into his arms. "Stop crying and tell me what's wrong," he commanded in a gentle voice.

"I don't even know why I'm crying anymore," she said quietly, putting her arms around him. "I just feel like...like you and I have done it a few times and now... It's only been a few times and already you don't want me anymore."

"Steph," he began, but she went on.

"I... Am I the plague or something? Am I _that_ repulsive?" she asked, her voice rising a little. "Hunter won't touch me anymore and now I don't think you want me anymore, either."

"That's not true," he said. "Don't think that way. That's nowhere _near_ true."

"Then why don't you want to..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked down. She couldn't look into his eyes, knowing that there was a possibility that he wouldn't want her anymore. More tears trailed down her face, and she wanted to just disappear. She felt...pathetic.

"I never said I didn't," he said. He pulled back a little, then tilted her chin up a little so that she could look at him. "Don't cry, Steph. It's not that I don't want you. That's not even an option for you to consider, so put that out of your mind." He paused for a minute, reaching up to wipe her tears away. "I was just thinking that maybe we should take some time to get to know each other a little better."

"We've known each other for _years_ now," she pointed out. "We've been working together for a long time."

"Exactly. We've been _working_ together. We've had a strictly business relationship, up until yesterday," he replied. "And now we're just... Let's face it. We're just having sex..."

"_Great_ sex," she put in.

"Yeah, it's great," he agreed, looking at her affectionately. "But wouldn't you like to get to know me better?"

"That would only complicate things," she said immediately, shaking her head. "Can't we just, you know, keep it physical?"

"Just mindless screwing? Steph, that's just not my _style_," he informed her, shaking his head. "Yesterday when we talked, _before_ we slept together, we were on the verge of beginning a _friendship_, remember? So why don't we just build on that?"

"And we would still be able to hook up when I need it...or when _you_ need it?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh, but of course," he said, grinning impishly at her. "We'll be friends with benefits."

"But _only_ friends," she said seriously. "Because I'm married, and even though Hunter did what he did with Trish, I love him so much, Chris, I do."

"I don't doubt that," he said, nodding because he understood where she was coming from. "I can't say that I'm in love with Trish, though, or that I ever have been. I mean, I _do_ feel strongly for her. I care about her, but is it love? Nah..."

"Now that we have that established, what do you want to do?" she asked.

"I want to watch the match with you sitting next to me. Can we do that?" he asked, giving her puppy dog eyes. He made his lower lip tremble. "Please?"

"For some reason, I don't think there's any way that I could ever say no to you when you look at me like that," she said, smiling at him. "But you knew that already, didn't you?"

"I was counting on it," he said, smirking. He pulled her over with him to the couch. "I'll be sure to bookmark that, though, so I can use that to my advantage in the future."

"You'd do something like that to an innocent woman like me?" she asked, turning the TV on, where the match between her husband and Kane was well underway.

"A woman? That, you are. As a matter of fact, you're one hell of a woman. An _innocent_ woman? I hate to break it to you, honey, but you're not innocent," he said with a laugh. She sat down on the couch and he laid down, stretching out and resting his head on her lap. "Ah, I have a human pillow. Your lap is so comfortable, Steph..."

"Let's just hope my legs don't go numb," she muttered. He stuck his tongue out at her, and she laughed. "I mean, face it, Chris. Your head is _huge_."

"I know," he said, ready to make a perverted comment. He glanced over at the TV, then back at her, and then he did a double take and looked back at the TV again, where Kane and Hunter seemed to be arguing while they were wrestling. "They're talking. Can you see that?"

"I wonder what they're talking about?" she asked curiously. Instinctively, she started running her fingers through his hair and gently massaging his scalp. "You have such nice hair, Chris..."

"And you have the body of a goddess," he said absently, already engrossed in the match.

**In the ring...**

"For the last time, what do you know about us?" Hunter demanded as he did an Irish Whip on Kane, sending the taller man into the corner and running after him.

"More than anyone should have to know," Kane said, grunting a little as Hunter started punching him in the face.

"Tell me, you bastard!" Hunter exclaimed, punching him in the face. "Tell...me!"

Kane pushed him off, making him stumble back a bit. "I've seen you!" He rushed at Hunter, delivering a powerful clothesline that nearly flipped Hunter around in midair. "Sneaking into dark, deserted rooms together, stealing kisses..." He bent down and pulled Hunter up by the hair. "You're married, idiot! You're either being bold...or dumb as hell! Or both!"

"You don't know anything!" Hunter whispered loudly. "So just keep your mouth shut about it!"

"Make me," Kane challenged, setting Hunter up for a chokeslam. He put his hand around his throat and held him with what seemed to be a death grip. "Make me," he repeated menacingly.

"Here comes Trish," Hunter murmured. "So get ready... You remember what happens next, right?"

"Shut up!" Kane ordered, tightening his grip on Hunter's throat. "You're cheating on your wife... Someday, she'll get you back, and mark my words when I'll tell you it'll be in a way that you least expect."

"You don't know," Hunter choked out.

"And it's going to hurt, too," Kane promised.

Hunter didn't get a chance to reply, because at that moment, Trish got into the ring and hit Kane in the back with a steel chair, as the storyline said to do. Kane let go of Hunter and turned around to face Trish, who looked frightened. As Kane slowly walked towards Trish, she backed slowly into a corner of the ring, and Hunter slipped out of the ring and started searching under the ring apron for his weapon of choice, the weapon he'd made famous... The sledgehammer...

**In Stephanie's office...**

"What the hell were they saying?" Stephanie wondered as she watched the match. She wished that she was a little better at reading lips. She had been watching the match intently, especially after Trish had come running down the ramp with the steel chair. "They looked like they were actually carrying on a conversation while they were wrestling."

"I have no clue what they were saying, but damn, Steph, this feels so amazingly good," Chris murmured, sighing a little. His eyes were closed and his head was still in her lap as she gently massaged his scalp. There was a content expression on his face. "God, Steph, just keep it up..."

"You like that, huh?" she asked, turning her attention from the TV to the blonde man with his head in her lap.

"I _love_ that," he said. "Your touch is so gentle and tender..."

"You look beautiful with your eyes closed, you know that?" she commented in a soft voice.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Who ever would've thought that you'd be saying something like that to me?" he asked.

"I wouldn't have, before yesterday," she said honestly. "But, I have to admit, when I first met you, I _did_ think that you were a fairly good-looking guy."

"Well, I _am_ a sexy beast," he said with a smile. "When your dad introduced us, I thought you were...pretty. You looked so young...so innocent and fresh. Now that I'm getting to know you a little better..." His voice trailed off as he looked up at her.

"What do you think of me now?" she asked, still running her fingers through his hair.

"Now? I think you're gorgeous," he said quietly. "I think it's funny how, before yesterday, we never really talked. Sure, six months ago, we...we found them in the shower together, but we didn't become friends after that. If anything, we became even more distant." He sat up and put an arm around her shoulder. "And now, because of them, we're spending time together and... It's all happening so fast, you know?"

"Yesterday around this time... Actually, a few hours _before_ yesterday around this time, you were in here holding me because I was crying," she said, leaning her head against his chest. "And I didn't want to let you go, because it felt so good to be in someone's arms after all these months of never being touched..."

"Well, I still think your husband is a fucking idiot," he said bluntly, kissing her on the forehead. "I don't understand why he won't be the one to do this for you."

"I don't, either, but I guess there's no point in trying to find out why anymore," she said with a sigh. "I've tried in the past, and my efforts have all been fruitless... I just don't understand him anymore."

"Someday you will," he assured her. "And if you don't... Just know that you'll have me as a friend to help you find the way."

"I think I like the sound of that," she said. She kissed him lightly on the chest through his shirt, then leaned against him again and looked at the TV. "You'll help me find the way..."

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it! I still think I'm moving things too fast for Chris and Steph but somehow I can't help it. Darn their chemistry!**


	14. What, Seduction Doesn't Work?

**Chapter 14**

"What the hell were you two arguing about?" Trish asked when she and Hunter stepped through the curtains and into the backstage area. "Before I came out there with the chair, I was watching the match back here and it was so obvious that you two were, like, _yelling_ at each other."

"He knows everything," Hunter said miserably. "He knows about all of our little secrets. about us sneaking off, the kisses we thought we were sharing in private..." His voice trailed off.

"Seriously? Well, what are we going to do?" she asked worriedly. "Not only will this ruin _us_, it'll ruin my plan, and we both know how much this plan means to me."

"I don't even understand this plan of yours, Trish! I don't know a single thing about it," he said with a frown. "When are you going to fill me in on the details?"

"When the time is right," she said firmly. "But first... Hunter, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know," he said with a heavy sigh. "I don't have any ideas."

"_I_ have an idea. Why don't you...I don't know..._stop_?" Kane asked in a sarcastic voice as he made his way into the backstage area. "I mean, that's the most logical explanation I can make about this predicament."

"This is none of your business, Kane," Trish said haughtily.

"It _is_ my business. Stephanie is a wonderful woman, and Chris isn't a bad guy. They're both great people," Kane said. "They don't deserve this deceit. They don't deserve it at all."

"Just stay out of it," Hunter said in a tired voice. "Because there are things at risk here, things that you can't even _imagine_."

"And there are things that _you_ don't know about Trish, things that would have you running in the opposite direction every time you see this woman," Kane said cryptically, looking at Trish. "You think things are great with her, but you have no idea."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hunter asked, but Kane just shook his head and walked away. Hunter looked at Trish with one eyebrow raised. "What's he talking about?"

"Hell if I know," she lied, but she wasn't exactly sure. Kane seemed to know too much for her liking, and knowing too much information could destroy her plan. If Kane _really_ knew everything... She would have to do something to keep his mouth shut and make sure that no one else found out...

"We're going to have to figure something out," he said in a low voice. "Because I really don't want Steph to find out what's going on with us. She'd be heartbroken..."

"We just need to figure out a way to keep Kane from talking, and I have the prefect idea already..." Her voice trailed off as she thought of the perfect way to make sure that Kane wouldn't tell... Of course, she'd have to get him alone, but after that, she was confident that he wouldn't talk...

**In Stephanie's office...**

"Well, their match is over," Chris said, his arm still around Stephanie's shoulders. "They'll be looking for us soon."

"Unfortunately," Stephanie said, snuggling up a little closer to him and yawning. "I'm so comfortable here. I could just go to sleep right now."

"Am I really that boring?" he joked, looking down at her.

"You're not boring, Chris. You're just, like, my favorite teddy bear, that teddy bear that I could never sleep without," she said, closing her eyes. "Didn't you have one of those when you were little?"

"Maybe," he said noncommittally. "So what are you hinting at here? That I make you feel all warm and safe?"

"Well, you do," she said with a little laugh. "I feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and it's all because of you. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"And you can't sleep without me, huh?" he went on in a teasing voice.

"I never said that," she said, idly running her hand across his thigh. "You're...a great comfort to me, that's all."

"And a friend. Don't forget that," he added.

"Right. A friend," she agreed, sitting up. "So, you ready to go meet our significant others and tell them what a great job they both did out there?"

"I guess," he said, removing his arms from around her shoulders.

As soon as he removed his arms from around her shoulders, she felt this strange sense of loss. She felt...vulnerable. She didn't know why she felt that way all of a sudden. What did it mean?

"Something wrong, Steph?" he asked, looking at her with a concerned look on his face.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong," she assured him, standing up. She rubbed her hands on her thighs, trying to get the feeling back in them. "Your head seriously made my thighs numb," she informed him. Sure, he had sat up a while ago, but she still felt a bit numb.

"Sorry," he said sincerely. "Anything I can do to help you get the feeling back in them?"

"You could give me one last kiss before we leave," she suggested.

"How's that going to help you get the feeling back in your thighs?" he asked with a smirk.

"It'll give me a feeling somewhere else down there," she replied, putting her arms around him.

"Oh really? And where might that be?"

"Somewhere just below the waistline..."

He grinned at her, then pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. "Between those beautiful thighs of yours, huh?" he asked when he pulled back a minute later.

She only smiled at him. "Come on, let's go meet them..."

They walked out of her office together. He put his hands in his pockets, wanting to put an arm around her as they walked but knowing that he shouldn't. He felt good knowing that he made her feel safe and all "warm and fuzzy" inside, as she had put it. Trish never really told him things like that anymore. Hell, she barely even told him that she loved him anymore. Of course, he'd never told her that, but... It didn't matter.

"Hunter, you were great out there!" Stephanie exclaimed when she and Chris reached the place where Trish and Hunter were standing. She observed her husband, noticing that he looked a bit preoccupied. "You look kind of out there, honey. Something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," Hunter said quickly, forcing himself to smile. "I'm just a little tired now. You know, fighting Kane and all, it's tiring. Very tiring."

"Aw, you poor thing," Stephanie said, deciding to push her luck and go in for a hug. She thought that maybe since he had hugged her earlier that he wouldn't mind if she hugged him now. She knew that he hadn't really touched her in six months, but maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't push her away.

"Oh, Steph, you don't really want to hug me right now. I'm really sweaty and everything," Hunter said, putting one hand up to stop her in her tracks. He glanced over and saw Trish watching the whole scene intently, and he saw Chris watching as well... But what was that look on Chris's face? Concern? Anger? It didn't matter, though. He turned back to Stephanie. "I'll meet you in your office in a few. I need to go get a shower."

"Ok," Stephanie said dejectedly, feeling like a fool. She watched her husband walk away, not bothering to press the matter any further. He had refused to hug her in front of Trish and Chris. Her own husband wouldn't hug her... She felt like an idiot for even trying.

"Chris, I need to go talk to Kane," Trish said, after watching Hunter walk away.

"Really? What for?" Chris asked absently, trying to appear interested. The truth was, he was worried about Stephanie and what she was probably feeling like right about now. Her assclown of a husband wouldn't even hug her. What was wrong with him?

"I just need to see if he's ok, you know, after the chairshot and the sledgehammer beating," Trish lied. Before he could say anything else, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you in a few," she said quickly, and then she hurried off in the direction Kane had gone in.

"Guess it's just me and you again," Chris said after a moment of quietly observing Stephanie.

"Yeah, I guess," Stephanie said in a sad voice. She turned to look at him. "Did you see that? I tried to hug him and he brushed me off!"

"I saw," he said, nodding. "And, like I've said I don't know how many times, he's a fucking idiot."

"I love that 'idiot' but he's making this relationship really hard for me," she said, putting her hand up to massage her temple. "I mean, I know relationships shouldn't just depend on physical contact or whatever but-"

"But every relationship needs a little physical contact," he finished for her. He reached out and pulled her to him, giving her a hug. "I'm here for you, though. I'm probably not the one you want right now, but I'm here."

"Thank you," she whispered, hugging him back. "I can't imagine what I would've done if you hadn't come back to my office yesterday."

"Let's not imagine," he whispered back, letting her go. He looked around, wondering if anyone had seen him and realizing that he didn't care if someone had. He just had this natural inclination to want to make her happy, to take away her fears, and to help her undo all the damage her so-called husband had done to her self-confidence...or what was left of it anyway. "Want to go grab something to eat from catering?" he asked her.

"Sure," she said, not even having to think about it. Hunter didn't seem to want to be around her, so why shouldn't she go with Chris? "Yeah, let's go," she said a little more confidently. They looked at each other and shared a smile, then headed off to the catering area together...

**Kane's locker room...**

Trish stood in front of Kane's locker room door, contemplating on how to go about doing this. Her plan was the most important thing to her at the moment, more important than her relationship with Hunter and definitely more important than her relationship with Chris. The fact of the matter was, she was using both of them. She didn't love Chris at all. She had cared about him once, had thought that she could grow to love him, but then she and Hunter had started hooking up and whatever chance she had of growing to love Chris had basically disappeared. Now, she was still with Chris, but that was just to keep up appearances. She stayed with him simply because he was great in bed. More importantly, everyone liked him, so they accepted her. Without him, they would scorn her, and she knew it. She also knew that she would never be able to love him...

Now Hunter was a different story. She hated to admit it, but she felt something strong for him, stronger than just plain old "like." She didn't know if it was love, though, because it was all so new to her... She knew that he loved her, and she felt strangely guilty because she knew that she was using him, but he didn't know that. He wouldn't know that until it was all over... She had been working so long and hard on this plan of hers, and she just had to go through with it. She couldn't let anything or anyone stand in her way...

With that in mind, she finally summoned up the courage to knock on Kane's door.

"Come in!" Kane called from inside. He was sitting on a steel chair with a towel around his neck, just thinking about what had happened out there in the ring. Did Hunter really not care about his own wife? Why was he so willing to cheat on such a wonderful person with _Trish Stratus_ of all people? If he just _had_ to cheat on his wife, why didn't he do it with someone better? Or, better yet, with no one at all? He shook his head and smiled to himself. _If only Trish and Hunter knew who was sneaking into a deserted locker room earlier... They'd be so pissed!_ He laughed as he remembered seeing Stephanie and Chris sneak into the locker room earlier. He could only imagine what they'd been doing in there...

"Kane. Just the person I wanted to see," Trish said, reaching behind her to lock the door. "Tell me, Kane, how are you?"

"Considering the fact that I got beat down with a sledgehammer, I'm reasonably sore," Kane replied, looking up at her. "But we both know that's not the real reason you're here. You don't give a damn about my well-being. So what do you want?"

"I need you to tell me what you _think _you know about me and Hunter," she said, leaning against the door. "Tell me everything."

"I know more than I want to know, that's for sure," he muttered. "I've seen you two sneaking around together, kissing and doing everything else. You're not as sneaky and crafty as you think you are, believe me."

"So you know everything?"

"Everything."

She started playing with some loose strands of her blonde hair as she looked at him. "So... What do I have to do to keep your mouth shut?" she asked him in a low voice.

"You can get out," he said simply. "Get out of my locker room."

"I can't do that. Too much is riding on this," she said, sauntering over to him. She walked behind him and started giving him a massage. "Does that feel good?"

"Leave."

"I thought I told you I couldn't do that," she said, leaning down to kiss his neck. She walked around in front of him, sitting on his lap and putting her arms around him. "What do you say I give you something I know you want and you keep my little...indiscretions...to yourself?"

"You don't know what I want, but I'll tell you that what I want isn't you," he said, looking into her eyes. "Now leave."

"I want you to give it to me, Kane," she purred, right before she leaned down to kiss him. "I want you...right...now..."

"I'm not weak like Hunter. You can't seduce me," he said, pushing her away before she could kiss him. He stood up and she fell to the floor. "Do yourself a favor and get the hell out of here."

"You won't be able to push me away next time," she promised, getting up to her feet and heading for the door. "You're going to want me, Kane, you'll see."

"Sure I will," he agreed in a voice full of sarcasm, folding his arms across his chest and snickering at her. "When pigs fly and your boobs are natural."

She swore softly under her breath and slipped out of the door. Once out, she leaned against it and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe that Kane had resisted her charms. Usually, seduction never failed... "That didn't work. Now I have to try to think of something else..."

**A/N: I'm working on trying to update some of my other stories as well... I have TOO many to update, and I just keep coming up with more of them! It's like the ideas just never stop! I have TWO new ones I started on, but I don't think I should post them until I finish some of the ones I already posted... Anyway, R & R! Thanks!**


	15. No Falling Allowed

**Chapter 15**

**Stephanie's office...**

It was a week after the storyline with Trish and Hunter had finally debuted on TV, and now it was time for Raw again. For Stephanie, the week had passed by slowly. She hadn't seen much of Chris after the previous Tuesday because he had decided to go visit his parents back in Canada. She had tried staying busy with her work, but it had been difficult for her. She had been more distracted than she'd ever been...

The most trying times had been the nights she had spent with her husband. He had been just as distant as ever, turning his back to her as he slept. It had been six months, she should've been used to it by now. Still, though, it was painful, the fact that her own husband wouldn't cuddle with her, and Chris, who had been nearly a total stranger... Chris had been willing... And every night for the rest of that week, she had fallen asleep with thoughts of her encounters with Chris on her mind...

Now it was Monday again, and she was at Raw, anxiously awaiting the time when she would see Chris. They'd only been together a few times, and already she could feel herself getting close, growing attached. She didn't want to get attached to him, but she couldn't help wishing that he was there in her office, just holding her against him, touching her... If Hunter would just do what Chris had done, she would be so happy... Why wouldn't he?

"What are you thinking about?" Hunter asked. He had walked into her office a minute or two earlier, and she hadn't even noticed him. She was busy staring off into space with a wistful expression on her face.

"Nothing," she said quickly, breaking out of her Chris-induced trance. "Just, you know, thinking about how much you and I have sort of grown apart."

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously, sitting down on the edge of her desk. "Fill me in."

"It's been six months since Chris and I discovered you in the shower with Trish, and things just haven't been the same since," she began.

"I thought you'd forgiven me for that."

"Yes, but things have been different. _You_ have been different, and you know it."

"Different how? I'm still your husband. We still have our marriage," he said, secretly regretting that simple fact. Had it not been for Trish literally _begging_ him to stay with Stephanie, he would be a free man, free to be with Trish, the one woman he was in love with. He loved Stephanie, but he knew that Trish held his heart. He wished he could tell Stephanie and end their marriage, if that's what their union could truly be classified as...

"No, everything is different with us now. Before... Before, you used to touch me and kiss me... You used to make love to me all night without question, so tenderly, so lovingly..." Tears sprang to her eyes as she remembered the way things had been once before. "You used to love me every night, you wanted me like I wanted you, and now? Now, you won't even kiss me, let alone hug me! What happened to you?"

"Steph, I..." His voice trailed off as he tried to think of an excuse.

"What? You don't love me anymore?" she asked loudly. "Tell me why, because I can't understand!"

"It's not that, Steph, and it's never going to be that," he said, pulling her to her feet and touching her face. God, he hated seeing those tears, knowing that he was the reason she wept. "It's not that I don't love you. It's just that I love you too much to just dive back into bed with you after I betrayed you. I want to earn your respect back, to earn your trust again..."

"You have it, Hunter," she whispered, gazing adoringly up at him. "You have my respect and my trust, times ten. I need you so much... Can't you just...kiss me?"

She was making this all so difficult for him, so very difficult. He looked over at the clock. "Wow, it's almost time for Raw and I haven't even gone over tonight's stuff with Trish. I'll be back later," he said in a rushed voice. He saw the look on her face, that crushed look, and he kissed her softly on the forehead. He took one more look at her, then made a quick escape.

"This is pointless," she said with a sigh. She sat down at her desk and put her head in her hands. She didn't even know why she tried so hard when it came to Hunter, or why she had expected for him to want to kiss her or hug her. _I ask him for a kiss and he kisses my forehead_, she thought, and then her vision blurred as the tears started flowing...

**Chris's locker room...**

"So," Trish began, looking at Chris.

"So," Chris repeated, looking off into space. He knew that Trish was trying to begin a conversation with him, but he wasn't in the mood to talk to her. He wanted to talk to Stephanie, to see how she was doing. He had been sort of apprehensive about going to Canada to see his parents and leaving Stephanie all alone with her husband. He was concerned for her, very concerned. He honestly couldn't understand why Hunter didn't want to touch her, or how Hunter actually refrained from touching her. God knows he couldn't. She was just so damn...touchable.

"Chrissy, are you listening to me?" Trish asked, noticing how he had that far away look in his eyes. He was sitting there on the steel chair just staring off into space, brows furrowed, obviously deep in thought. She couldn't seem to get his attention no matter how hard he tried, so she got up and walked over to him. She sat down facing him, straddling his lap, and brought her hands up to cup his face. "What's the matter, honey?" she asked in the sweetest voice she could muster.

"Nothing. I just have a lot on my mind," he said evasively, still thinking about Stephanie.

"Anything I can help with? Or rather, you want me to take your mind off of it?" she asked seductively.

"No, you can't," he replied.

"Never say never," she said with a little laugh, right before she kissed him on the neck.

"Trish, I'm not in the mood," he said bluntly, trying to pull away. "I mean, I've never been in a mood like...never mind. You wouldn't understand."

"Why wouldn't I understand?" she asked petulantly.

"Trust me, you just wouldn't," he said shortly. He made her get off his lap, then stood up. He walked over to the door, then pulled it open and was greeted with a bit of a surprise. "Hey," he said stiffly.

"Hey, Jeri...Chris," Hunter said, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I needed to go over tonight's plans with Trish. Do you mind?"

"Go right ahead," Chris said, moving aside and letting him walk in. He turned to look at Hunter as he made his way into the locker room. "Uh, where's Stephanie?"

"Stephanie's in her office," Hunter said, biting his lip as he remembered the state in which he had left her. "Why?"

"I just wanted to check up on her, that's all," Chris said quickly. "Maybe I'll just pay her a little visit and say hi."

"I'd be careful going in there if I were you," Hunter warned him. "She's kind of down right now, lots of tears and stuff."

"And you left her _alone_?" Chris asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah," Hunter said with a shrug, figuring that he had to lie. "I had things to do, and I didn't really have the time to spare to find out what was really wrong. It's like she was upset and crying for no reason."

"You should know why, insensitive bastard," Chris muttered under his breath, walking out of the locker room. He had to go see Stephanie and make sure that she would be ok... He felt like he was her protector all of a sudden, like he had to be there for her. She hadn't turned out to be the person he'd thought she was, and he could honestly say that he liked her. He didn't like the idea of her crying, though, so with that in his mind, he headed down the hall towards her office...

Hunter watched Chris go, then closed and locked the door. He walked over to the chair Chris had been sitting in a little earlier and sat down, sighing. He looked at Trish with sad eyes.

"I can't keep doing this," he said in a low voice.

"Doing what? Sitting down?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

"No, lying to Steph. She's hurting, Trish, she's really hurting, and I hate to hurt her," he said, sounding anguished.

"Why won't you just sleep with her?" she wondered.

"Because I can't, not while I'm with you," he said, shaking his head fervently. "I can't betray you that way."

"Betray me?" she scoffed. "Hello, _I'm_ the mistress. _She's_ the wife."

"Doesn't have to be that way," he said seriously, gazing at her. He loved her and he wanted to be with her, but as long as he was married to Stephanie and she was with Chris, that couldn't happen...

"Yes, it _does_ have to be that way, for the sake of the _plan_," she reminded him. "Besides, I don't see the big deal with you sleeping with her. I sleep with Chris as often as he'll let me...which hasn't been that often in the past week, now that I think about it."

"That's...that's horrible!" he exclaimed. "Why would you sleep with him when you have me?"

"Because, babe, _Chris_ is my boyfriend, and I have to do something to make him think that I'm loyal to him." She walked over to sit on his lap, giving him a deep kiss before pulling back and saying something that he would never forget. "Sex is it. Haven't you learned that yet?"

**Stephanie's office...**

Chris knocked lightly on the door to Stephanie's office. He waited for a few minutes, then knocked again. When she didn't reply, he opened the door and slipped inside. Seeing her hunched over her desk weeping silently, he uttered a low swear, damning Hunter to the very pit of hell. Stephanie didn't deserve this at all. He closed the door and locked it, then walked over to her desk and kneeled next to her chair.

"Steph, honey, you can stop crying now," he said in a soothing voice right near her ear. It was funny how just the week before, he hadn't known how to comfort a distraught woman, but now he knew. He touched her shoulder. "The sexy beast, the King of the World, the Highlight of the Night...has arrived, and he's here for you."

"Chris," she breathed, turning to him and smiling through her tears. She hugged him tightly, like she hadn't seen him in years, and then she pulled back to look at him. "I'm really glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you, too," he said, glad that he'd made her smile. He leaned forward and kissed her, tasting the tears on her lips. He pulled back, confused when he felt her crying even more. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"No... It's just that earlier, I asked Hunter to kiss me, but he wouldn't kiss me properly," she explained sadly. "He kissed my forehead...but you, you just came in here and kissed me..."

"I apologize if that's not what you wanted me to do," he said immediately. "I don't want to force myself on you or anything, so you let me know if I'm overstepping my boundaries."

"Don't apologize. I really like your kisses," she said honestly.

"Good," he said, letting out a deep breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Cause I'd be offended if you told me that I sucked at kissing."

"You don't. You're an expert," she assured him quickly, reaching out to gently touch his face. "And the only boundary I have right now is with love. I don't want to fall for you, Chris, and I don't want you to fall for me, either."

"Don't you think it's a bit early to be talking about us falling for each other?" he asked softly, his hand covering the one she had on his face.

"When there's intimacy involved, I don't think it's ever too early to consider that, especially when the...experiences...are as powerful as ours are," she said firmly. "So are you going to promise me that you won't cross that line?"

"I can't promise you that it won't happen, because you never know when you're going to fall for someone, but I'll try really hard not to cross your line, so to speak," he said solemnly. She smiled, and he smiled back. He stood up, then sat on the edge of her desk. "Do you want to tell me what else Hunter did that got you so upset earlier?" he asked, looking down into her eyes.

"I don't want to talk about him right now," she said, standing up and moving to stand between his open legs. "I need you right now, Chris... Are you up for that?"

"I'm pretty sure I could 'get up' for you," he said with a wink, pulling her against him. "And... I locked the door... Thinking ahead and all that good stuff."

"You amaze me," she whispered, putting her arms around him. "I'm only just getting the chance to get to know you, and I think you're amazing."

"That's me. I'm just amazing...but you're not so bad yourself," he whispered back, and then he kissed her...

**A/N: I loved writing this chapter, and I don't know why! Leave me a review so I can know if you liked it, too!**


	16. Giving In

**Chapter 16**

_cjrocks: So...what are you wearing?_

Stephy76: You already know, silly! You just left!

cjrocks: Nuh uh, that was a whole thirty minutes ago. You could be wearing something totally different now.

Stephy76: I'd like to be wearing you...wearing you out, that is.

cjrocks: Bad, bad Steph...

Stephy76: Who ever said I was good? Not me!

Chris smiled as he read the message Stephanie had just sent him. He was in his hotel room and it was right after Raw. He had no idea where the hell Trish was. Normally, that bothered him, but at the moment he didn't really care where she was. He was perfectly content with sending instant messages to Stephanie... He smiled again and replied.

_cjrocks: True, no one ever said you were good, but I think you are... Good in bed._

Stephy76: So I am, am I? Well tell me this... What are YOU wearing?

He looked down at himself. He was leaning with his back against the headboard of the bed, wearing nothing but his boxers...

_cjrocks: Boxers and skin._

Stephy76: Really? Hunter's not here... Shall I come rape you?

cjrocks: LOL, again!

Stephy76: You know you liked it.

cjrocks: True.

Stephy76: Besides, it's not rape if you consented, which you did.

cjrocks: I did?

Stephy76: Yeah, if your moans were any indication...  
  
He laughed at that, remembering what they'd done back at the arena in her office only a short while before. These days, it seemed like they were always sneaking off together. It was dangerous, it was forbidden, it was fun... And he was glad that he could be there for her since Hunter wouldn't.

Just then, the door opened, and Trish stepped into the room. "Hey, baby," she said, smiling at him as she closed the door.

"Oh, hey," he answered. He knew he had to end his conversation with Stephanie, and he really didn't want to because he'd been having fun.

_cjrocks: Sorry, I'm gonna have to cut this short... Trish is here._

Stephy76: That sucks. I was just about to tell you what I was wearing...or NOT wearing.

cjrocks: Damn it! Will you be up later?

Stephy76: Maybe.

cjrocks: Stay online. I'll send you a message soon, ok?

Stephy76: That's fine. I'll talk to you later.

cjrocks: Bye...

"So who were you talking to?" Trish asked curiously, walking over to the bed. She discarded her shoes and climbed into the bed next to him.

"Steph," he said, flipping the screen around on his Sidekick II and closing the AIM application. He set the phone down on the bedside table and looked at her.

"Oh. You call her by her nickname?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah, we're friends now," he said with a shrug. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.

"What did you two talk about?" she wanted to know.

"Stuff," he said evasively, flipping idly through the channels. "Something good has to be on. I mean, all these channels... There just has to be something interesting on."

"There's not," she said, grabbing the remote. She flipped the TV off, then tossed the remote away and straddled him. "I want you, Chris..."

"I'm tired," he said, giving a fake yawn. "I'm...not in the mood."

"Not in the mood?" she repeated, perplexed. "How can you not be in the mood? I'm on top of you right now... Can't you feel me?"

"Yes, I feel you," he said with a sigh, putting his hands on her slim waist. "I definitely feel you, see? But I'm not in the mood to give you what you want right now."

"Then just relax and let me do all the work," she said slyly, leaning in to kiss him hard.

He kissed her back fully, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. They kissed for a little while, and then he pulled back. "Trish... I can't..."

"Fine, but we'll have to do it soon. It's been a week and two days," she said, pouting and folding her arms.

"You've been counting?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," she said, getting off of him. "I'm going to go take a shower... Hopefully you'll change your mind before I get out."

_Not likely_, he thought, watching her head for the bathroom. As soon as she closed the bathroom door, he grabbed his Sidekick II, flipped the screen up, and signed on to AIM so he could send Stephanie a message.

_cjrocks: I'm back, for a little while at least._

Stephy76: So, what have you been up to...lover?

cjrocks: Lover? LOL... Trish was trying to get me to sleep with her.

Stephy76: Did you?

cjrocks: Nope, I wasn't in the mood...for her, anyway.

Stephy76: Who were you in the mood for?

cjrocks: You, of course...lover...

Stephy76: Oh, Hunter's here. Can I talk to you later?

cjrocks: Oh, blowing me off for the Neanderthal... I see how it is.

Stephy76: It's not like that, Chris.

cjrocks: Steph, I'm kidding. Relax, go do your thing.

Stephy76: Ok, I'll talk to you later.

cjrocks: Bye...again...and I'm sad now...

Stephy76: I'll make it up to you later... Bye...

Stephanie closed the screen on her Sidekick II and looked up as Hunter approached her. "Hi," she said quietly, wondering what he would say.

"Steph, we need to talk," Hunter said, sitting down on the bed next to her. He took her hands in his and looked at her. Noting the expectant look on her face, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I love you, you know that right?"

"Yes," she said, already mesmerized by his eyes.

"Well, I don't feel the need to have sex with you just to prove how much truly love you," he went on. He saw her open her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, he leaned over and kissed her right on the lips.

She was more surprised than ever, but she didn't hesitate to return the kiss. Here... This was the loving, passionate man she had fallen in love with... She put her arms around him and pulled him closer. She had missed this contact with him, and she craved it. Sure, Chris satisfied her, and he did a damn good job of it, too...but Hunter was her husband, and she needed him.

"Steph, I'm so sorry," he whispered, kissing her on the neck. "I'm so sorry for the things I've done, for the way I've treated you..."

"It's ok. Everything's ok, as long as I have you," she whispered, pulling him back up for another kiss.

"You have me, Stephanie," he whispered against her lips. He thought back to what Trish had told him back in Chris's locker room, and he added, albeit hesitantly, "And you'll have me all night..."

Meanwhile, a few doors down, Trish stepped out of the shower and walked into the bedroom wearing a bathrobe and nothing else. She leaned in the doorway unnoticed and observed Chris. He had his phone in hand and was steadily pushing the scroll wheel. From the look of concentration on his face, he was quite interested in whatever he was reading.

"What are you reading?" she asked after a moment.

"Uh, nothing," he said quickly, closing his web browser and looking guiltily up at her. "Just this website I stumbled upon, this fanfiction thing."

"What's it about?" she wondered, walking over to the bed.

"Do you know what a Smoochy Dreamer is?" he countered.

"No, never heard of it," she said, looking confused. "Why?"

He looked off into space and a smile played on his lips. "I think I'm a Smoochy Dreamer now."

"I don't get it."

"I didn't expect you to."

"Whatever. Did you think about what I said?" she asked, changing the subject to something she wanted to talk about.

"I'm tired, Trish. I just want to sleep," he said, fake-yawning again. He pulled the covers back and got under them. "Maybe tomorrow night, ok?"

"You've been saying that since last Sunday!" she said, upset. "I even volunteered to do all the work and everything! Why won't you just screw me?"

"Because I don't want you right now! Don't you understand?" he exclaimed, sitting up again. He didn't know why he was suddenly in such a bad mood, but he was. "I don't want you! So stop throwing yourself at me!"

"I just want you to take me, Chris," she whined, reaching for him. "I just want you tonight."

"Not tonight," he said in a low, determined voice. He looked at her, surprised to see the hurt look on her face, and he calmed down a little. "Look, I don't mean to upset you or anything, but can you just respect my wishes tonight? Please?"

"Fine, Chris, fine. I'm going out. If you won't do me, some other guy will!" she exclaimed, frustrated. "I swear, you're treating me just like Hunter's treating Stephanie, and I'm not liking it! I'm not liking it at all!" She got up and walked over to her luggage, intent on finding something skimpy to wear so she could go out to a club.

"Don't compare me to Hunter," he said in a low voice, getting up and following her. "Don't you ever do that."

"I'm sorry, but it's true," she said, rifling through her clothes. "Hunter won't do Stephanie, you won't do me... Hell, maybe Stephanie and I should get together and do each other!"

He grabbed her arm and whirled her around to face him, suddenly angry that she had mentioned Stephanie. Before she could speak, he hauled her up against him and kissed her hard. He didn't like being compared to Hunter, that bastard, so he was going to prove that he wasn't like him at all.

He pulled back after a minute and practically glared at her, panting. "Is that what you want?" he asked, trying to catch his breath as he held her against him. "For me to kiss you like that?"

"I want so much more," she said breathlessly, kissing him again. She managed to pull him over to the bed without once breaking the kiss, and they fell onto the bed together, kissing wildly.

Before they knew it, her robe was on the floor, and she was working at the speed of light to undress him. As soon as his clothes were off, she pulled him down for another kiss. She just couldn't get enough of him...

"So this is what you want, huh?" Chris asked, leaning over Trish, hands touching her all over.

"Yes, Chris, please," Trish pleaded, trying to guide him to where she needed him most. Sure, she slept with Hunter often, and he was great in bed, but Chris had a different, more refined style, and that was what she needed tonight.

"Don't ever compare me to Hunter again," he told her, right before he kissed her. "I mean it."

"I won't, not ever," she promised. "Now please, Chris... Don't make me beg."

He leaned down and kissed her again. He vaguely wondered if he should really be doing this, because it kind of felt like he was betraying Stephanie...but that was a dumb feeling. Trish was his girlfriend; he was obligated to sleep with her. Stephanie was his friend, and he would be there for her when Hunter wouldn't, but Trish was his girlfriend and she needed him, too.

Still, though, he couldn't shake the feeling that sleeping with Trish was a bad idea... But he'd already gone this far, and he knew he couldn't just back down now...

**Two Hours Later**

Stephanie laid in the bed next to Hunter and looked up at the ceiling. She didn't know what to say to describe how she felt. After six months of not being with her husband, and then after finally being with him again, she felt... She didn't feel right. It hadn't been the way it had been before, meaning before she'd found him in the shower with Trish. He was different now, they were different, and sleeping with him hadn't been... Well, it hadn't been all that great.

"You ok?" Hunter asked softly, touching her arm.

"I'm fine," she answered, moving her arm away. "I'm just going to, uh, go take a shower and then maybe go for a little walk."

"A walk? This late at night?"

"Yeah. I won't go far, though."

He sat up in the bed. "Want me to join you?"

"No, I'll be ok alone," she assured him, getting out of the bed. She rummaged through her luggage and found something to wear, then went into the bathroom and shut the door. She quickly got into the shower, wanting to wash away everything that had just happened with her and Hunter, because it hadn't felt right at all. She wouldn't go so far as to say it had been horrible, but it had been pretty bad... She had faked her excitement the whole time, and she knew that he had been holding back as well... It was like their chemistry in the bedroom was just...gone.

She finished showering, then got dressed and walked out of the bathroom. She grabbed her phone and her card key, then quickly left the room without once looking back at her husband...

Chris sat at the hotel's bar, nursing a drink. He was confused and a little upset as well. Yeah, he'd slept with Trish, but when he thought about it, it didn't compare with what he was doing with Stephanie. He didn't really know how to explain it all, but when he'd slept with Trish a while before, it just hadn't been the way it used to be... He sipped his drink again and sighed, wondering what to make of this whole mess he suddenly found himself in.

"Who drove you to drinking?"

Chris turned around when he heard the voice, and he smiled when he saw who it was. "Hey, Steph," he said. "What are you doing down here?"

"I was just about to go for a little walk, you know, just to clear my mind," Stephanie replied, looking down. "It's pretty late. What are _you_ doing down here?"

"Just thinking about my messed up life," he said, running a hand nervously through his hair. He stood up. "So you're going for a walk?" She nodded. "Mind if I join you?"

"Mind? No, I don't mind," she answered.

"Good, because I wanted to talk to you anyway, but I figured you would be asleep," he said. He pulled out a few bills and laid them on the bar before turning back to her. "There's something I did, and I feel like I should tell you."

"Is it bad?"

"It could be," he said honestly. "But let's go somewhere where we can be alone... I saw a park like a block away when I first got here earlier, so we could go there, if that's ok with you."

"That's perfectly fine," she said, already wondering what he wanted to tell her. She hoped he wasn't going to tell her that he couldn't sleep with her anymore, because her recent encounter with her husband had been quite the disaster, and without Chris... She'd probably just have to go without sex period.

They walked out of the hotel and down the street silently, both deep in thought. They reached the park soon enough, and he led her over to a discreet spot where a bench was. They sat down and looked at each other.

"So... What did you want to tell me?" she asked him after a moment.

"It's kind of hard to say, but, remember how I told you that Trish was trying to get me to sleep with her?" he began.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, in the end, she compared me to Hunter and I gave in and did it," he said quietly, looking away. "I know you're probably mad at me now, but I didn't want to do it. I just didn't want her to compare the way I treat her to the way Hunter treats you... It's not exactly a compliment, you know?"

"Why would I be mad at you? She's your girlfriend," she pointed out. "And besides, I did something tonight that I'm not too happy about, either."

"What's that?"

"When Hunter came back, he started talking, and then all of a sudden, he just kissed me, and then... Well, we...you know." She looked at him, trying to read his expression.

"Finally, after over six months, he comes to his senses. I'm really...happy...for you," he said with a smile, although he had to force that smile to stay on his face.

"I'm not. You want the truth?"

"What's the truth?"

"The whole thing was a disaster," she said with a laugh. "A complete disaster. He... It's just not the way it used to be, and I wonder if maybe it always used to be that way and I just never noticed or something."

"So you didn't like it?" he asked hopefully.

"No," she said honestly.

"Wow... So what are you going to do now?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know. I...think I'm still going to be needing you, Chris," she said slowly. "Is that ok?"

"Is that ok? Of course it's ok," he said with a smile. "I'm actually kind of relieved that you didn't tell me that you wanted to stop being with me."

"Relieved? Why would you be relieved?"

"I just am," he said with a shrug. He changed the subject before she could say anything else. "Do you know what a Smoochy Dreamer is?"

"No, what is it?" she asked, brows furrowed.

"Look it up on your phone sometime, you'll find out. I think I've become one," he said, standing up. He looked at the time on his phone. "We better get back. I'm sure your...Hunter...is waiting for you, and we wouldn't want the Neanderthal to get all worried and stuff."

"Right, because his nose might grow a little longer or something," she put in, standing up as well.

"Shame on you, making fun of your husband, this man you love more than anything else in the entire world. You're a bad, bad woman..."

"Like I said earlier, who ever said I was good?"

They walked back to the hotel in a better mood, and he walked her up to her room. He stood there looking at her for a minute, then kissed her softly. He pulled back after a minute and smiled at her.

"Sleep tight, don't let Hunter bite," he said teasingly. "Your nose might grow as big as his."

"Ah, whatever," she laughed, but then she suddenly got serious. She leaned over and kissed him for a minute, and when she pulled back, she couldn't help but smile at the look on his face.

"What was that for?" he asked, awed.

"I don't know... Just because I wanted to kiss you," she said, shrugging. She opened the door and went inside. "Goodnight, Chris," she said. She waited for him to say it back, and after he did, she smiled at him and closed the door.

He stood there for a minute, just looking at the closed door. After a while, he just smiled to himself and headed back for his room...

**A/N: Forgive me, people, I think I've lost my touch. There were so many ways this story could go, and I chose this way, but it just got weird all of a sudden... I don't know... I have some kind of writer's block that lets me write, but what I write isn't so great... Oh well, I guess. Stick with me, it'll get better soon!**


	17. How It All Started

**Chapter 17**

Stephanie looked out the window and watched as the scenery rolled by. It was the morning after she and Hunter had finally been together after six months. She sat on the passenger's side of the rental, thinking, comparing. Earlier the day before, she'd been intimate with Chris, and it had been just absolutely amazing. Then later she'd been with Hunter, something she'd been eagerly anticipating, but... It had been one huge disappointment.

"What are you thinking about, babe?" Hunter asked, looking over at Stephanie. She was looking out the window and she looked strangely sad. He wondered why...

_Just how much of a disappointment you were in bed last night_, she thought, but of course she didn't say it. Instead, she just sighed and kept looking out the window. "Nothing," she murmured in response to his question.

"You say it's nothing, but your face tells a different story."

"Ok, Mr. Observant."

"Want to tell me what's wrong now?" he asked, eyes back on the road. "The truth?"

"You want the truth?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"I'd certainly appreciate it. The truth is always better than a lie."

"Fine," she said shortly. "Last night...wasn't good for me. When you and I were...together...it didn't feel like it used to feel. You used to love me like you meant it, and now it's like you're holding back."

"Holding back? I wasn't holding back," he lied, voice rising a little. "I gave you everything I had, Stephanie. I gave you everything that I could give you..."

"And if that's the case, then ok," she said, looking back out the window. "But that's just how I felt, like you were holding back. You never used to hold back. Our passion used to be fiery and unbridled, remember?"

He did remember their steamy encounters from the past, back when they'd first gotten together. Their chemistry in the bedroom had been almost too hot for him to handle, for her to handle, and they'd always been capable of completely satisfying each other. What, then, had possessed him to hook up with Trish?

"Yeah, I remember," he said softly, memories flooding his mind. "And I don't know what happened to change everything so quickly."

"Let me take a wild guess... Trish," she said snidely.

"I don't want to talk about Trish right now," he said quickly.

"You never do," she accused, staring a hole through him. "But you have to now, because you've been silent about what really happened for six whole months. I want to know the truth, the whole truth, and don't leave out a single detail."

"But Steph, that's in the past. What happened is done now, it's over, and we've all moved on," he protested.

"No, not all of us have. Chris and I, we've talked about it, and we're both still hurting. We don't know what we did, I don't know what I did, to make you run into Trish's arms," she said sadly. "I've cried over it a lot lately, and Chris has been here to comfort me, but now I want to know, Hunter. Tell me."

"Fine! You want to know? Fine!" he spat, anger and frustration taking over him. He pulled their rental over to the side of the road and turned it off.

"What did you pull over for? We have a city to get to," she reminded him.

"You want the whole story, so I'm going to give it to you. I can't tell you about this while I'm driving. It's too powerful, too distracting..."

"Then start talking already."

"It all started about a year and a half ago..."

**_Flashback: A year and a half ago_**

"I have to work late tonight," Stephanie informed Hunter as he stepped into her office.. "I have, like, so much work I need to catch up on."

"I'm ready to leave, though," Hunter said, putting his duffle bag down. "It's after eleven, it's late. Can't you do this back at the hotel?"

"No, baby, because everything's all set up here," she said, standing up and giving him an apologetic look. She walked over to him and leaned against him for a second, then looked up at him, reaching up to softly caress his face. "I know you want to go back to the hotel, so go ahead. I'll be fine."

"Oh, but baby, I don't want to leave you alone," he protested, putting an arm around her waist, pulling her more firmly against him. He smiled down at her. "And besides," he went on huskily, "I'm really in the mood, and you know what that means..." He leaned down and kissed her.

She kissed him back wholeheartedly, running her fingers through his hair and moaning a little into his mouth. As the kiss got heated, he backed over to the leather couch and sat down, pulling her down on top of him, making her straddle him. She kept kissing him for a while, then pulled back, panting heavily.

"Hunter, we can't do it here," she said, hands on his shoulders.

"Why not? We both want it," he pointed out, kissing her on the neck and nipping lightly at her skin. "Feel me, Stephanie, feel how much I want you. "

"I can feel it," she said with a little giggle. "I'm sitting on the evidence."

"So that's what you call my...tool? 'Evidence?'" he asked with a laugh. "But seriously, Steph, I need you... I need you right now."

"I feel it, and I need you, too," she whispered, kissing him briefly. "But baby, I have to finish this work, or I won't have a job."

"Like Vince would fire you," he scoffed, before putting his hand on the back of her head and forcing her to kiss him again.

He didn't have to force her much, because she wanted him as much as he wanted her. She kissed him back, feeling the evidence of his arousal pressing firmly against her. But she knew they couldn't do it, not at that moment, not in her office at the arena.

"Honey, I can't do this right now," she whispered, brushing her lips lightly over his. She ran her hands over the sculpted muscles of his chest and shivered. "Just go back to the hotel and save it for me. I'll make it worth the wait when I get there, I promise."

"But Steph, I could _die _from being so hard for so long," he said bluntly, not caring that it sounded like he was begging, because he _was _begging and he knew it. He needed her and he would do just about anything to attain his release.

"Don't be dramatic, sweetie," she said, pulling away from him and standing up. She pulled him to his feet and tried to shove him towards the door. "Now get out of here, big guy."

"Fine, I'll go," he said. "But I'm warning you, I might have to go find myself a lady of the night to fulfill my needs."

"Like you'd cheat on me," she laughed. "That's absurd, absolutely absurd."

"You're right, that is absurd," he agreed. "I'd never cheat on you."

"Ok, so if you want me back at the hotel anytime soon, if you really, really want me..." Her voice trailed off. "What am I saying? Of course you want me... Just go to the hotel and wait for me... Go get ready for me..."

"Oh, I'll be ready for you, sweetie," he assured her, leaning down to kiss her passionately for a minute. He pulled back and trailed a finger along her jaw line. "I'll be ready for you. The question is, will _you _be ready for _me_?"

"Yes, I'll be ready," she whispered. She smiled at him and watched him go, admiring his butt in the jeans he was wearing before closing the door and getting back to the work that would take her hours to complete...

Hunter walked down the hallway, trying to cover the front of his pants up in case he ran into someone. He didn't need anyone to see how turned on he was at the moment. He just needed to get back to the hotel and let his hand take care of the problem for the time being, until Stephanie got there...

"Hi, Hunter, can I have a word with you, please?" came a female voice from behind him, just as he reached the doors to the exit. He felt a delicate hand on his arm, and he looked down to see some perfectly manicured nails pressing gently against his skin.

"Trish," he said, turning around to face the blonde diva. "What can I do for you?"

"Ooh, lots of things," she said, trailing her fingers up and down his skin. She looked down at the front of his pants, then back up at him, and she smiled. "But right now, the question is, what can _I _do for _you_?"

"Um, nothing. I don't need anything," he said quickly, pulling his arm out of her grasp. "The question is, what do you want from me? Because you so obviously want something."

"Ok, you got me. I do want something," she admitted. "But I want to give you something first. I mean, it would only be fair."

"What do you want to give me?" he asked curiously.

She pulled him down a little so she could whisper into his ear. "Stratusfaction... From that boner you're sporting, you could use it."

He took a shaky breath and pulled away. "I'm married, you know that," he said, looking down at her. "My wife will take care of it for me when she gets done working."

"And when will that be? Two, three hours from now?" she asked knowingly.

"Probably," he said, looking down. "But still... I can wait."

"But you don't want to."

"But I can."

"Well, just hear me out," she said, one hand touching his chest. "I have a proposition for you..."

"Alright, alright, walk with me," he said, giving in. He opened the door and held it. She walked out in front of him and he followed close behind for a minute before moving to her side. "So, what's this proposition about?"

"I have a...plan...and I need someone on the inside," she said, getting straight to the point. "I think you could be that person."

"What's the plan?"

"I can't tell you."

They reached his rental car and he unlocked it, putting his bag in there. She leaned against the hood of the rental and waited for him. He walked over to where she was and leaned next to her.

"So... You need someone on the inside, and I'm that someone?"

"Yes, so are you going to help me?"

"I need to know what it is you're doing. I can't go into this blind," he said seriously.

"You won't be blind... You'll just be riding the waves of ecstasy," she said in a low voice. She pressed herself up against him with her back to his chest, practically purring. "That is, if you'll help me."

"I'll help you," he agreed, biting his lip as she rubbed herself against him. "Just...stop."

She turned around to look at him, smiling. "I can't stop now, Hunter. Ever since I joined this company, I've wanted you... That hasn't changed... I still want you..." She pulled him down for a kiss.

"I'm married," he whispered against her lips.

"You keep saying that, but Stephanie's not here to take care of this delicious-feeling erection that's pressing against me," she whispered, pulling out all the stops so she could complete her seduction.

"She has to take care of her work first..."

"Then let _me _take care of you..."

They ended up kissing for quite a while, kisses that started out slow and sweet and ended up hungry and passionate. He tangled his strong fingers in her hair, pulling her closer, as close as possible. He could feel the need, he couldn't wait anymore. He had to have her.

"Trish, if we do this..."

"I won't tell."

"And aren't you dating Jericho?"

"What he doesn't know won't kill him."

He held her face in his hands and looked at her. "This is so very wrong. Stephanie-"

"Shhh, it's ok. I know you want me, and that's ok, because I want you, too," she whispered, pulling away from him. She leaned over the hood of the rental car and looked back at him, smirking a bit, with lust in her eyes. "Come on, take me, right here."

"This is too risky," he said apprehensively, looking around.

"Maybe you need to take a risk around here. It's deserted in here in this parking garage, and it's dark, and that's going to heighten the experience," she told him. She bared her neck to him and wiggled her hips invitingly, her short skirt barely covering her butt. "Besides, I'm ready for you..."

He didn't know why, but he went over to her, and before he really realized what he was doing, he was taking her from behind on the hood of his rental...

**_End Flashback_**

"So that's how it happened? She seduced you," Stephanie said, looking down at her hands.

"Yes. I had no plans to cheat on you, but then that night came and you had to work, and I was so turned on..."

"So turned on that you committed adultery?" she asked angrily.

"I'm sorry, ok? She let me take her on the hood of the rental, the hood! It just... I've always wanted to do kinky things like that, you know?"

"All you had to do was tell me... We could've..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked out the window. "Get me to the next city, there's someone I need to talk to."

He looked at her. "It's not Trish, is it? I don't want you to bother her about this."

"Worried about your little whore, huh?" she asked, not bothering even trying to cover up her anger at the woman her husband had cheated with. "Well don't worry. I don't want to even see her face, and I'm not going to confront her, ok?"

"Ok," he said, breathing a sigh of relief. He cranked the car up and soon they were back on the road again, headed for the next city. He glanced over at her and saw her looking out the window, tears falling from her eyes. "I'm really sorry, Steph. I mean it."

"Don't talk to me. Just get me to the next city fast," she whispered.

"If that's what you want," he answered.

She didn't bother replying to him. Instead, she pulled out her phone and flipped the screen up. She signed on to AIM and saw that the person she wanted to talk to was online.

_Stephy76: I need you. Where are you?_

cjrocks: I'm at a gas station right outside the next city. Trish is in the bathroom.

Stephy76: Can I see you today?

cjrocks: You can see me any day or night you want.

Stephy76: Then today I need to see you. Hunter just told me the whole story of how he and Trish hooked up.

cjrocks: And you're crying, aren't you?

Stephy76: I can't help it.

cjrocks: I'm going to wipe those tears away for you, I promise, as soon as I see you. I'll kiss them away...

Stephy76: Thanks. I know you'll make everything better when I see you.

cjrocks: Yep, I will... So until then, stay cool, ok? I have to go, but call me when you get to the next city.

Stephy76: Will do, Chris... Thanks for being a sweetie...

cjrocks: I'm your sweetie, Steph...

Stephy76: My sweetie?

cjrocks: I'll explain later. I have to go.

Stephy76: Later...

cjrocks: Bye...

Stephanie put on her away message and exited the AIM application, then put her phone in her purse and looked out the window. She wanted to be anywhere but in this car with Hunter...

But there was one place she wanted to be more than any other place, one person she wanted to be with more than any other person...

She wanted to be with Chris.

**A/N: So now we know how the whole Hunter/Trish relationship started. I didn't even know how it started when I first started this story! But now I know, and now you all know... I'll update once I get some more ideas (and just so you all know, I have some ideas already). Stay cool, everybody, and drop me a review!**


	18. Let Me Stay

**Chapter 18**

Chris looked around, hoping no one he knew would suddenly just pop up out of nowhere and spot him. He'd gotten this far unseen, and it would be quite a disappointment if he got caught when he was this close to reaching his destination. He looked around again and then saw that he was there. He knocked twice on the door and waited for the person he was going to see to answer.

A second later, he was pulled into the hotel room by his shirt, and Stephanie practically pounced on him, pressing her lips to his and making him fall against the now-closed door. He reached behind him with one hand to lock the door, then put his arms around her and kissed her back. She pulled away after a while and hugged him tightly, something she had been waiting to do all day since she'd last talked to him in the car.

"Damn, that was quite the welcome," he said, panting a little and hugging her back. "Mind telling me what I did to deserve that?"

"You came to my office and apologized for calling me a bitch even after I slapped you, and you woke me up when I fell asleep in my office, and you gave me a ride to the hotel even though you didn't have to, and..." Her voice trailed off as she pulled back a little to kiss him again before she continued. "...and you've been here for me and made me feel needed and wanted even when my...even when _he _wouldn't."

"Well I didn't mean for you to tell me everything that I've ever done for you in our...relationship, but speaking of _him_, where is he?" he asked, looking around the room as if expecting Hunter to step out of the bathroom at any moment. "Is he in here?"

"No, and he won't be here anytime while we're in this city," she said, pulling away and walking over to the couch. She sat down and beckoned him over, and when he sat down next to her, she leaned against him and repeated what she'd said. "He won't be here."

"Why won't he be here? Did he have to go back to the last city or something?" he asked, putting his arm around her. He knew that she needed this kind of contact, that she wanted it and craved it...and he had to admit that he enjoyed it, too.

"We have separate rooms at different hotels," she said shortly.

"Wait, separate rooms, different hotels... Are you guys breaking up or something?" he asked excitedly, standing up in front of her and looking down at her.

She couldn't decipher that look in his eyes and she couldn't look away, either. "No, we're not breaking up. I just needed to get away from him for a while, after he told me... Well, you know what he told me earlier in the car on the way here," she said, grabbing his hand. "But no, we're not breaking up."

"Oh," he said, feeling strangely disappointed. He sat down next to her again and looked away. He didn't know how he'd gotten his hopes up so quickly, or why he'd gotten his hopes up at all, for that matter, but still... It was disappointing.

"There's no use in me trying to run away from the truth anymore, though," she went on, looking down at his hand and lightly rubbing his knuckles with her thumb.

"What's the truth?" he asked, looking at her face even though she wasn't looking at him.

"That my marriage is falling apart and I just can't seem to pick up the pieces fast enough," she said with a sigh. "I love Hunter, there's no doubt about that, but I don't know how to fix our marriage..."

"Maybe..." He paused for a second, biting his lip, contemplating on whether or not he should say what he was thinking. He looked down at his hand, where her thumb was still running over his knuckles, and then he looked at her face and decided to speak from the heart. "Maybe it's not meant for you and him to be together. Maybe there's someone else out there for you, someone who'll treat you like you're the only woman who's ever mattered to him, the only woman who'll ever matter to him..."

"What are you trying to say, Chris?" she asked, looking into his eyes. She saw something there in the way he was looking at her, and it scared her, that tender look in his eyes. Yet, she found herself unable to look away from him once again.

"All I'm saying, Steph, is that maybe there's another guy out there for you...a guy who would love you the way you deserve to be loved," he whispered, reaching up to touch her face. "A guy that will love you like you've always wanted to be loved..."

"If that's true," she whispered back, knowing that he was trying to tell her something. "If that's true, then why can't I find him?"

"Maybe he's right in front of your face and you just haven't realized it yet," he said softly, leaning closer. "Maybe it's m-"

She interrupted him before he could finish his statement, covering his mouth with her left hand. She could see the light reflecting off the diamond in her wedding band, and she paused for a moment to look at it. That ring meant so much. It symbolized the bond between her and Hunter, and even though things were rocky in their marriage, she still wanted to somehow fix it.

That was why she didn't want to hear what Chris was going to say, whatever it was that he had planned to say.

"What?" he asked in a muffled voice.

"Don't say it," she whispered.

"Say what?" he mumbled against her hand, which was still covering his mouth.

"Don't say what you were about to say," she said.

"Why?" he asked, confused once again. He was always getting confused when he was around her, and he didn't know why.

"Just don't, ok?" she asked, a hint of pleading in her voice.

He gave a resigned sigh and looked away, and she removed her hand from his mouth. He looked back at her and saw that her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "What's wrong?" he asked, immediately concerned even though he was feeling a bit upset that she hadn't let him finish his sentence.

"Everything's wrong," she said, trying valiantly not to let the tears fall from her eyes. "Look around. My husband's not here. He's not even in the same hotel as me, and I'm the one who decided that we should have separate rooms."

"That's your decision. Everyone needs their space sometimes," he said in a comforting voice. "I know that I like to have my space away from Trish every once in a while, lately more so than usual..."

"And that's my fault, isn't it? I did the same thing to your relationship with her that she did to my relationship with Hunter," she said, looking away and letting the first tear fall. "I've disliked her for so long since I found out what happened between her and Hunter, and then I went and did the exact same thing with you..."

"No, you know it's not like that, Steph," he said, pulling her into his lap and holding her against him. "You came to me because your husband was being a...a stupid bastard who wouldn't give you the attention that you needed. You came to me because you needed to be touched, you needed a man... You...well, you didn't really do anything wrong."

"I came into the bathroom naked and forced myself on you," she said, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder. "You even told me not to and I did it anyway. I seduced you, just like Trish did to Hunter."

"I had reservations about it at first since you were married... You're still married... But really, do you think I would've done it if I hadn't wanted it on some level?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"No, but-"

"No buts. We're not even thinking about how this thing started between us, ok? We're not going to think about that," he said, cutting her off. "That doesn't even matter anymore."

"But Chris, I-"

"This is going to be my first and last time ever telling you this," he said in a serious voice. "I'm only going to say it once."

She looked up at him. "What?"

"Shut up."

"What?"

"I said I was only going to say it once."

"Why'd you tell me to shut up?" she asked, moving off of his lap so she could sit next to him on the couch.

"Because I'm tired of hearing you say that everything's your fault. It's not your fault and you need to stop blaming yourself for every little thing," he said, reaching over to touch her. "Besides, look at you. With the way you look, I probably would've approached you someday and tried to get you in bed anyway, even if none of this with Trish and Hunter had ever happened."

"Really?" she asked, intrigued.

"Yes, really. Thinking back now, I don't know how I ever thought I could be happy with Trish...and now I'm seeing this even more, especially when I'm with you..."

"We haven't even been together for that long," she put in. "What, it's been two or three weeks, right?"

"Things happen," he said with a shrug. "Sometimes you know something's right because it feels right, and time doesn't factor into all of it."

"You do remember what I told you, and what you promised me, right?"

"Yes, but do you remember exactly what I said? That I would _try _not to fall for you, _try _being the key word," he pointed out. "I never guaranteed that it wouldn't happen."

"So what are you saying?" she asked.

"Simply that I care about you. Is that so much of a bad thing?"

"No, I suppose not... Friends care about friends..."

"Friends, huh?" he asked quietly, kissing her on the forehead and closing his eyes.

"Yeah, friends," she replied softly, leaning up to give him a kiss. They kissed for a while, getting completely caught up in the kisses, until she pulled away and looked at him. "Chris... Since you're here..."

"Tell me what you want," he instructed in a low voice, touching her face.

"I want _you_, Chris," she whispered. "Right now..."

"Good," he said, standing up with her in his arms. "Because I want you, too..."

He carried her into the bedroom, kissing her softly the whole time. He didn't know how many times he'd done this with her recently, but for some unknown reason, everything was different now. This wasn't going to be just sex for him, he could tell that already. What he wondered, though, as he placed her gently on the bed and kissed her again, was if she felt this change in the atmosphere as well...

She felt it, too, and it scared her, especially when it was all over nearly an hour later and she was still feeling it. She laid there with her eyes closed as he laid on top of her, face nuzzling against her neck as she ran her fingers through his hair and savored the moment.

He felt the tears before he heard the sobs, and he leaned up to look at her. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"You didn't hurt me, but everything's wrong now," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry if it wasn't good for you," he said, blushing a little at the thought. "But it was good for me, and I really tried-"

"It was perfect. That's not the problem," she interrupted. "The problem is...the way I'm feeling right now..."

"How are you feeling?" he asked curiously.

"Really confused," she answered, closing her eyes. "Confused about you, about _us_. I know we shouldn't be doing this but I don't want to stop and-"

"We don't have to stop," he pointed out. "We don't ever have to stop."

She looked at him, into those incredible blue eyes. "Chris? I..."

"You what?"

"You should go. It's... It's late, and I'm sure Trish is worried about you..."

"That's unlikely, but let me ask you this, and be honest... Do _you _want me to go?"

"No," she whispered.

"Then let me stay tonight," he whispered back. "Let me stay with you..."

She nodded mutely, and he moved next to her and pulled her into his arms. He ran his fingers through her hair, feeling his eyelids getting heavy. This was just the way he wanted to fall asleep, with her in his arms.

"Steph?" he asked sleepily.

"Hmmm?" she responded, just as sleepy.

"Did you ever look up Smoochy Dreamers?"

"No, I forgot..."

"Look it up tomorrow...when we wake up..." He yawned, feeling sleep about to wash over him.

"Ok," she agreed, drifting into a little haze. "Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"...I care about you, too..."

"Good," he whispered, smiling. He pulled her a little closer and they fell asleep in each other's arms...

**A/N: So I was looking through some recent pics of some Fozzy gigs, and I noticed that Chris's hair is really short! Grow it back, Chris, grow it back! But he's still hot, though... Now, regarding this chapter... I hope it wasn't too hard to follow, because it was extremely hard to write. It follows my outline for the story, but... I don't know. Help me, guys! I need some input here, so leave me a review please! Thanks!**


	19. It's Over

**Chapter 19**

Chris woke up before Stephanie did that next morning. He looked down at her and couldn't stop the huge smile from automatically spreading across his face. Waking up with her asleep in his arms reminded him of the one morning when he'd woken up with her that same way, and that was the morning after they'd been together for the first time. The morning after that first time, he had been holding her instinctively, because he was the type who liked to cuddle after sex. This morning, however, he was holding her because he cared about her, and some part of him just didn't want to let her go. She felt so right in his arms that he felt like he could hold her tightly to him like this for days on end, maybe even weeks...

He looked over at the window. There didn't seem to be any sunlight shining in so he guessed that it was still one of the pre-dawn hours and the sun had yet to rise. He kissed her lightly, wanting to wake her up but in a gentle way. He felt her responding to him even in her sleep, and he was glad that he could get this type of response out of her.

"Chris," she whispered, pulling him over until he was on top of her.

"Good morning," he whispered, looking down at her. "But I'm not sure if it's morning yet..."

She ignored his statement and greeted him with a question. "Will you ever love me?" she asked, evidence of how sleepy she still was in her voice.

"_Love_ you?" he asked, surprised, and she nodded. He surmised that she was out of her head and too sleepy to realize what she was saying, because wasn't she the one who had made him promise not to fall for her? Despite that, though, he felt the need to answer honestly, whether she knew what she was asking or not. "Well, sweetie, how do you know that I don't love you already?"

"It's too early, but could you love me someday?" she repeated, eyes still closed. "If you closed your eyes right now, could you see yourself loving me?"

"Yeah, I could. On some level, I already love you," he admitted softly, kissing her on the cheek. "I don't know how it happened but it did, and it happened really fast... Fast enough to make even _my_ head spin... But you're just really lovable, Steph..."

"I think I could love you one day, too," she said softly. "You're so good to me, Chris..."

"What other way can I be? It's who I am," he said, peering down at her.

"Don't ever change," she said with a little yawn. "Just stay the same for me, and don't ever change..."

"I'm not going to change," he assured her. "I won't."

"Take me right now," she whispered to him, moving against him, pulling him closer.

"Can't... No protection right now," he informed her. "We used it all last night..." He wished that he'd thought to bring more protection with him, but... Well, you can't think of everything.

"Forget protection, Chris, I need you," she said softly, finally opening her eyes so that she could gaze into his and let him know just how much she wanted him... How much she was _always_ wanting him... Her eyes seemed really dark, but maybe that was just because of the lack of good light in the room.

"Are you sure?" he asked, one hand trailing from her bare hip to her thigh and back up again.

She reached around him, running her hands over the muscles in his back before speaking again. "I'm sure..."

**ACROSS TOWN IN ANOTHER HOTEL...**

"You're being really stupid, you know that?" Trish asked, leaning against the wall in the bedroom in Hunter's suite. "How could you actually agree with her when she asked for separate rooms? She's your _wife_. You should've kept her with you and...and told her that you loved her too much to let her get her own room."

"That's beside the point," Hunter replied tersely. "How could you attempt to seduce _Kane_ of all people?"

"It didn't even work, ok, but I needed some kind of way to make sure that he didn't tell," she said with a shrug. "I had to secure the plan somehow, or at least _try_ to."

"Fuck the plan!" he exclaimed, standing up and running a hand through his hair. "I don't want you seducing other guys, Trish! Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"Look, I don't want to argue with you, ok? The plan is important to me, it's my own little brainchild," she said, looking away, still leaning against the wall. "Sometimes... Never mind. Just... I need to go through with this plan. I _have_ to."

"Make me understand why this plan is so important that you would actually consider sleeping with Kane," he pleaded. He knew he sounded pathetic, but he had to know.

"Don't you get it, Hunter? Everyone thinks I'm a fucking whore, ok? They think that I'll sleep with any guy... Hell, according to everyone backstage, I'd sleep with the girls, too. I wasn't a whore before I came to this company, but Vince..." She frowned at the mention of her boss's name. It left a nasty taste in her mouth, and unfortunately, his name wasn't the only thing of his that had left a nasty taste in her mouth... "That bastard, he made me! He created me, he made this image of me..."

"It's just an image. I...don't understand."

"I don't expect you or anyone else to understand," she said, suddenly calm. "You'd never, ever understand my plan, Hunter, never."

"Then why am I even in this with you, Trish, if I can't understand the plan? What's in it for me?" he wanted to know. "Because we've been going at it pretty heavy for a year and a half, and I feel like our relationship is going absolutely nowhere!"

"It's not supposed to go anywhere. We have a business relationship and a sexual relationship, but we don't have anything beyond that," she said shortly.

"Trish, I've told you before that I love you... You wouldn't believe how much I fucking love you," he said, his voice full of emotion.

"Shut up!" she shrieked, her calm mood gone. She hurried over to him, pounding against his chest with her fists (like they could really hurt him), wanting to force him to be quiet, to force him not to say those three words again.

"I love you," he said quietly.

"Take it back, or I'll slap the living hell out of you," she threatened, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at him.

"I love you," he repeated simply, and she lifted her hand up to slap him as promised.

He grabbed her hand before it could reach his face, and all of a sudden, she just started sobbing. He let her hand go and pulled her to him, holding her close as she cried. He wondered what was making her cry. He'd never seen her cry before, not _ever_, but here she was now, openly sobbing against his chest.

"What's wrong?" he asked carefully.

"I'm pissed at you!" she exclaimed through her tears. "I'm so pissed at you for telling me that you love me."

"I'm only being honest with you. Why does that make you mad?" he asked gently.

"Because I asked you not to tell me, you fucking idiot!" she exclaimed.

"Oh." He decided to just hold her anyway, even though she seemed to be mad at him. He didn't want to let her go. He wanted to comfort her.

"And because..." Her voice trailed off, and she went on in a voice that barely qualified as a whisper. "And because... I love you, too."

He gasped, taking a step back and putting his hands on her shoulders. He looked down into her eyes. "You love me?"

"Yes, ok? Yes! How could I not?" she asked, looking into his eyes. "There are bound to be feelings when something like sex is involved. That 'no strings attached' scenario just never works." She stopped talking and lightly bit her lip, then closed the distance between them and kissed him softly, bringing her hands up to cup his face. He put his arms around her and held her close as they kissed. They broke apart soon after, and she looked up into his eyes.

"How'd you change your mind so fast?" he asked suspiciously, holding her out at arm's length again so he could stare at her. "Just the other day, you said that you didn't love me, and now you say that you do... Are you just trying to appease me and calm me down?"

"I wish I was, but I'm not," she said truthfully. "I do."

"You don't understand how happy hearing that makes me," he whispered, pulling her close to him. "I've waited so long to hear you say those words... But how do you know if you truly do?"

"I had a lot of time to think last night. Chris stayed out all night, and I was alone with my thoughts," she explained. She pulled away from him and sat down on the edge of the bed. She patted the spot next to her, and he sat down as well. "There's something else I have to tell you, though."

"What is it?"

She looked down, looking ashamed. "I've been using you for the past year and a half. I needed someone on the inside, and you were it. I didn't feel a thing for you at all in the beginning, or for a long time, except for lust."

"Oh." He looked down, too, disappointed, then looked back up. "Well, there must be some reason why you chose me. There are other guys who could've done the job just as well as I have..."

"True, but none were as gullible as you, Hunter. Believe me, I thought about it... I planned this whole thing out to the very last detail..."

"But you chose me because you wanted me, right? Somewhere deep inside?" he asked hopefully, grasping at straws.

"Honestly, I would've chosen Stephanie if I thought she could be easily seduced by me... But I didn't think she was bisexual, so..."

He looked down at his hand, at his simple wedding band. He'd known that Trish was using him, but he'd fallen for her anyway. He'd loved her, and that love had blinded him. Maybe he had wanted to be blind... "You say you love me," he said slowly, twirling his wedding band around. "And yet, you tell me this."

"I had to be honest with you, ok? I know I've been using you, and I'm pretty sure it probably hurts, but it happened, and when this whole thing started out that first night when I came onto you, you knew I'd be using you," she pointed out. "But now you know everything, and you know that I _do_ love you..."

"Why love me if all you plan on doing is continue to use me? When your plan is over, you're not going to want to be with me," he said knowingly. "You're going to want to stay with Jericho, and I'll be miserable... Why love me at all?"

"Do you think I wanted to fucking fall for you?" she exploded, standing up. "No! This whole thing was never supposed to go this far! I was supposed to get enough information to bring Vince down and be done with it! But that hasn't happened yet, and somehow this lust I felt for you turned into love, and I hate it! I fucking hate it!"

"How can you hate love?" he asked, still sitting on the bed and looking at his ring.

"When you fall for another woman's husband, there's not much you can do but hate the fact that you allowed it to happen," she said, looking away. "I never wanted to take you from Stephanie, and I should've ended the plan when I first saw signs of your feelings for me...the flowers and the gifts... I didn't end it, though, because I was selfish. Look at me, Hunter. I've changed into the woman Vince wanted me to be when I first came into this company..." She sat back down and put her head in her hands, crying again. "I never wanted to become her..."

He looked intently at her, and he wanted to hug her. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and wipe away her tears... He wanted to comfort the woman he loved...

But there was another woman he had vowed to love and comfort and stick with, and that woman was Stephanie. He had cheated on her for half of their marriage, and still, she'd stuck with him, always faithfully by his side...

And how did he know that Trish wasn't lying about loving him so she could manipulate him?

He didn't.

He stood up then, and looked down at her. "Trish."

She looked up at him with tears shining in her eyes, and he almost gave in...

Almost...

"Yes?" she asked shakily.

"I can't be your inside man anymore. You used me and I hurt Stephanie, my _wife_...and I can't be a part of this anymore," he said in a rushed voice. "It's over."

"O-over?" she repeated in disbelief.

"It's time for me to make amends. My marriage has gone down the drain, and you know whose fault that is? Yours, Trish," he said. She opened her mouth to speak, but he kept talking. "It's my fault, too, and I know that. It's my fault for being unable to control myself around you... I was blinded by lust first, then blinded by love..."

"So you're ending us?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he answered, just as softly, even though saying that made him hurt inside. "We're done."

She wiped her tears away and nodded. "I don't really love you anyway," she lied, and then she headed for the door, trying to hold her tears back.

"You mean that?" he asked curiously, following her to the door.

"Yes," she lied, unable to look at him. "I truly mean it."

"Oh." He opened the door for her, and they shared a look before she completely left the room. He closed the door and locked it, then leaned against it and closed his eyes. "You don't love me, Trish, but I love you," he whispered miserably. "Too much for my own good, maybe..."

Outside the room, Trish leaned against the door and tried to hold the tears back, but she couldn't, and once they started flowing they wouldn't stop. They just kept coming, and there seemed to be no end in sight. She did love him, she really did, and she was sorry it took her so long to realize it. She'd thought that it was just lust before, but now she knew that she _did _love him... Only it was a bit too late for that now, because he had ended them. They were...over.

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Chris's number, hoping against hope that he would answer. _Maybe he got tired of me and stayed out last night with another woman_, she thought when his voicemail came on. She tried not to think about that possibility, though, as she left him a message. She was positive that she was just using Chris and didn't love him, but she needed _someone_, and she knew that he could make her feel better...

"Chris, I... I don't know where you are or where you were last night, but you didn't come back to the room last night and I'm worried about you.. Could you maybe call me back or come to the room soon so we can talk?"

She didn't know what else to say, so she sent the message. She flipped her phone closed and put it in her pocket, then started walking slowly and aimlessly down the hallway, lamenting her loss. She was upset that her whole plan was now hanging in the balance until she found another inside person, but she was more upset that she'd just lost Hunter.

"Who am I kidding? He was never mine in the first place," she whispered to herself.

She stopped walking and found herself in front of a room. She didn't know whose room she had ended up at, but she knew it wasn't her room or Hunter's room, so she didn't care. She just stood there, unsure of why she was standing there but standing there nonetheless.

"I thought I told you that I didn't want you," a deep voice said from behind her, causing her to jump.

"Holy shit, Kane, what are you doing here?" she gasped, one hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Don't scare me like that, you monster!"

He was about to make a mean comment about how she was standing in front of _his_ hotel room when he noticed the tears on her cheeks. He didn't approve of what she and Hunter were doing behind Chris and Stephanie's back, but she was still a human being, and a woman at that, and he was concerned.

"Why are you crying?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's none of your business," she snapped, getting angry already.

"I'll tell you like I told Hunter when we had that match the other day," he began. "You-"

"Fuck you and fuck Hunter, too," she interrupted, turning on her heel and walking away without a backwards glance.

"Well, someone's PMSing," he chuckled. He shook his head, then went inside his room and shut the door.

**A/N: Just the usual end of the chapter rant... I know Chris and Steph aren't in this chapter a whole lot... But did you guys catch the whole "let's have unprotected sex" type thing with them? Keep that in mind, because it could come into play someday in a later chapter... And for ONCE, I find myself feeling sorry for Trish, and a little sorry for Hunter, too. Just this once, LOL...**


	20. Even 'Taker Knows

**Chapter 20**

Chris sat at the table in the little diner, looking down into the steamy depths of his coffee and sighing. Trish watched him from the other side of the table and wondered what was wrong with him. He'd gotten her message about an hour and a half after she had left it, and about thirty minutes after that, he had called her back, agreeing to meet her at a nearby local diner. They'd been there for ten minutes, and he had yet to say anything to her.

"You look preoccupied," she said finally, breaking the tense silence.

He didn't bother looking up from his coffee because he didn't want to see her. "Yeah, I guess you could say that I'm a bit preoccupied," he said quietly. "Actually, a whole lot preoccupied."

"Want to tell me what's wrong?" she asked.

"No." His answer was quick and to the point, and he wanted to let her know that there would be no changing his mind about talking. He didn't really even want to be there with Trish at the moment, but he didn't really have a choice, after what had happened that morning when he and Stephanie had woke up the second time...

_**Flashback: Earlier That Morning**_

Stephanie woke up in Chris's arms and smiled to herself. She felt extremely content and wished that she could wake up that way every morning, not with Chris specifically, but with that feeling of contentment after sharing a passionate night with an experienced man who knew what he was doing in the bedroom. She looked over and saw the sunshine streaming through the window, and she knew that it was time to get up now. She grudgingly began to pull away from Chris's warm body, but she didn't get very far.

"Don't leave me, Steph," he mumbled, his arm tightening around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"I'm not leaving you, Chris, it's just time to get up and face another day," she answered, trying again to pull away.

"Do you remember what happened when we woke up the first time?" he asked, letting her go even though he didn't want to. He liked the way she felt in his arms, and he wanted nothing more than to grab her and pull her closer again. Instead, he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Do you?" he repeated.

"What happened?" she asked curiously.

"You asked me to take you," he said with a little smile. "You wanted me..."

"Yeah, that sounds a little something like me," she chuckled, running a hand through her hair.

"It does, but this time was different from any other time we've done it before... It was special, and it was different..."

"How was it different?" she asked, brows furrowed together, trying to remember.

He looked at her, wondering if she was joking with him or if he was serious. "You really don't remember?" he asked.

"I remember being with you, but what was so different about it? What makes this last time so special that it stands out from all the amazing experiences we've had before?" she asked.

"This time... We didn't use protection," he said, looking at her. "And you let me..._you know_... And we've never done that before. We've never...it's never been like that before."

She gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "We...did _that_...with no protection?" she asked, clearly horrified.

"That's what you wanted," he said slowly, still looking at her. "You said it was ok."

"And you...did _that_...inside of me?" she asked, breath coming in short spurts like she was going to hyperventilate or something.

"Well, yes, Stephanie," he said in a low voice. "I tried to...um..._not _do that, but you told me it was ok and you told me to just let go, and so I did because I couldn't hold back anymore..."

She looked at him for a minute, then got up and pulled on an oversized "Triple H" shirt. She started pacing back and forth in front of the bed and he just watched her, wondering what was on her mind and waiting for her to speak.

"I can't believe we did that!" she exclaimed finally. "I mean, you... You actually..." She stopped pacing, put her hands on her hips, and practically glared at him. "Chris, what the _hell _were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that you wanted it. You asked... It was _your _idea," Chris pointed out. "I was under the impression that you wanted it, since I asked you if you were sure and you said you were."

"Of course I said I was sure! I was horny and half-sleep, so of course I said I was sure!" she practically yelled. She turned and walked over to the bathroom. She leaned over the sink and looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Oh God," she whispered. "What the hell did we do?"

"Why are you mad at me?" he asked, following her into the bathroom after pulling on some boxers. "What did I do wrong, huh?"

"I'm not mad at you, not really. I'm more mad at myself," she said with a sigh, turning to look at him. "I'm just... What if I get preg..." Her voice trailed off, and she found that she couldn't say the word pregnant. She looked down at the floor. "Well, you know, what if?"

"Then you and I... We would deal with that together if that happened," he said logically. He'd thought about that briefly before he'd done it with her, and he had wondered if she was... "Are you on birth control?" he asked, finally voicing his concern, what he'd been wondering about earlier.

"I was, but when Hunter and I stopped...being intimate, I stopped taking the pills, and..."

"So you're not?" he asked, biting his lip as he looked at her.

"I'm not," she whispered, looking back at him. She closed her eyes, leaning back against the sink. "I'm going to get pregnant! I'm going to get pregnant and it won't be by my husband and everyone will know that you and I have been doing it and-"

"No they won't, now take a breath and calm yourself down, ok?" he said, taking her by the shoulders. "The odds of you getting pregnant this first time, those odds aren't very high."

"You're right, you're right," she agreed, nodding and letting him hug her. "You're absolutely right."

"All the loyal Jerichoholics would think so," he said with a smile. He held her close for a while, then let her go. "Now, what's this junk you were saying about facing another day?"

"You have _such_ a way with words," was all she said.

They showered and got ready for whatever the day would throw at them. They didn't know what the day would hold, but they would be ready.

Quite some time later, they both sat down on the couch together, and he took her hand in his. He didn't say anything, though. He just brought it up to his lips and kissed it, looking into her eyes the whole time.

"What was that for?" she asked, blushing.

"You're just beautiful," he said softly, smiling a little at her. "Do you remember what you asked me earlier when we woke up?"

"Oh no, are there more scary surprises?" she asked with a nervous laugh. "Did I ask you to run away with me and elope or something?"

"Nah, you didn't. You're married so there's no way you'd ask me something like that," he said, laughing as well, then getting serious. "But if you were to ask me something like that, I wouldn't hesitate to leave Trish for you."

"Funny," she said, biting her lip. "You're quite the joker."

"I wasn't joking... But anyway, you asked me if I would ever love you," he told her. "You asked me if I closed my eyes, could I see myself loving you..."

"Damn, I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut when I'm sleeping," she said, shaking her head. She was a little curious to know what his response had been, though. "Well, what did you say?"

"I said yes," he answered right away. "And I said that on some level, I already lo-"

It was at that moment that her cell phone chose to go off. She reached for it and looked at the display. "I have to get this, it's the husband," she said. She saw the upset look on his face, and she squeezed his hand softly before answering the phone. "Hello? Yeah, I'm up, I'm just a little busy... Really, you're downstairs in the lobby? Holy..._no_! Don't come up, I'll meet you downstairs and we'll go talk somewhere... Ok, yeah, I'll be right down, don't come up here... Bye."

"So you're going somewhere with..._him_?" Chris asked slowly.

"Yeah, he's right downstairs and I don't think it would be very sensible if I let him come up here, do you?" she asked.

"No, it wouldn't, but you don't even know if I had something planned or something," he said.

"Well, did you?"

"No..."

"Ok then, what's the problem?"

"It's just, I... I didn't think you would make plans to leave me so soon after we shared such a passionate night...and since there's still so much up in the air about us."

"We could always talk later, you know?" she pointed out.

"But there are things about our relationship that I wanted to talk about," he said, "I wanted to finish our conversation..."

"And we will," she assured him. "Just...later."

"But Steph..."

"Let's not argue, Chris," she said, standing up. "We've never argued and I don't want to start now..."

He stood up as well. "What do I have to do to make you stay?"

"There's nothing you can do... He's my husband, I have to go," she said with a sigh. She walked over to get her purse, then came back over to him and hugged him. She kissed him softly, then pulled away and touched his face. "Meet up with me later?" she asked.

He gave a resigned sigh. "Later," he agreed, and then he had to watch her go. When the door closed behind her, her words reverberated through his mind, making him frown a little.

_"There's nothing you can do..."_

_**End Flashback**_

"Chris, you still here with me?" Trish asked, reaching over to touch Chris's arm, which was resting on the table.

Chris pulled his arm away from her touch like he had been scalded, then nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm with you. I was just thinking."

"Why won't you just let me in?" she pleaded. "I'm your girlfriend, I want to know what's on your mind, what's bothering you and hurting you..."

"It's none of your business, and that's it," he said, finally looking up at her, eyes blazing.

She was taken aback by the anguished look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked him again, in a softer voice. "Just tell me."

"Fine. How the hell do you work up the nerve to tell someone that you think you love her, when you know she's not going to want to hear it?" he asked her harshly. "How do you do that when she told you not to fall for her in the first place? How do you tell her that you think you've fallen for her anyway?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, again taken aback, this time by what he'd said and by how harsh his voice sounded. "Who are you... Are you talking about me or are you seeing another woman?"

"Trish, I don't want to talk about this right now!" he exclaimed.

"But Chris, we're a couple, couples talk," she protested. "Let's talk... What happened to you, and where's the Chris I used to know?"

"He's lost and confused right now," he said, standing up. He pulled out some money and dropped it on the table. "That should cover the cost of my coffee... I need to be by myself right now."

"But Chris-"

He didn't stick around to hear what she had to say, though. Instead, he quickly walked out of the diner, head down, and headed for his rental. He got inside and drove to a park he remembered seeing on the way to the hotel the day before. He needed to go somewhere alone so he could sort out his mind, and that was the best place he could think of.

He parked his rental and walked through the park with his hands in his pockets, kicking at rocks on the sidewalk that wound through the park. He found a bench where no one was around, so he sat down on it and looked dejectedly out over at a pond that was nearby.

He sat there looking out over the pond for a very long time. Hours passed and it was already pretty dark by the time he heard his phone alert him that he had a new IM. He flipped his screen around and opened AIM to see that he had a message from Stephanie...

_Stephy76: Where are you?_

_cjrocks: I'm in the park._

_Stephy76: Are you alone?_

_cjrocks: It's just me and my thoughts... And why are you IMing me anyway? Aren't you off with...him?_

_Stephy76: No, he's gone now...finally. I came back up to my room and you weren't there...so I got kind of worried about you._

_cjrocks: Why worry about me? I'm fine._

_Stephy76: I don't like the way I left things with you, and I wanted to finish that conversation we were having._

_cjrocks: It's your call, Steph. From now on, everything between me and you is going to be on your call, because... I don't want to mess this up._

_Stephy76: There's no way that you could. You're perfect, Chris, and I don't think you could be any other way._

_cjrocks: No, you're the perfect one._

_Stephy76: No, you..._

_cjrocks: You..._

_Stephy76: Can I see you? Right now?_

_cjrocks: What did I say the last time you asked me that...yesterday?_

_Stephy76: That I could see you any day or night that I wanted to._

_cjrocks: So does that answer your question?_

_Stephy76: Yeah. I'm going to walk to the park... Meet me at the entrance?_

_cjrocks: I could just come and pick you up. It's pretty dark out here and I don't want you getting hurt or anything..._

_Stephy76: Oh please, it's five minutes away... Just meet me at the entrance to the park and then take me back to the spot you're sitting in._

_cjrocks: I'll be there..._

About ten minutes later, Stephanie made it to the entrance of the park, where Chris was waiting. When he saw her, he wanted to kiss her or just hug her, but he knew he shouldn't, so instead he just put his hand on the small of her back and led her through the park to the spot where he'd spent hours thinking about...her.

They sat down close on the bench together, close because he wanted to be close to her and he didn't know why. He was beginning to wonder if he needed their contact more than she did. He didn't know, though... He just knew that he enjoyed being with her, maybe too much...

"So...back to our conversation," he said finally, breaking the silence.

"Wait... Just let me kiss you first," she whispered, one hand softly caressing his face. Her lips met his and she kissed him for what seemed like forever. When she pulled back, her hand was still on her face, and she smiled. "Ok, now we can talk."

"I'm not sure if I can," he said, looking at her lips.

"But I want to," she insisted, a serious look on her face. "Now where were we... Oh yeah, we were talking about what you said when I asked if you would ever love me..."

"I'm not sure you want to know... You made me make that promise not to fall for you, remember?" he reminded her.

"Disregarding that for a minute..." She grabbed his hand. She was really curious to know. "What was your answer?"

"I said that I already do, on some level," he replied quietly, looking right at her. "It's... I know you probably don't want to hear this from me...but I think I'm falling for you..."

"How can you be sure?" she wanted to know.

"I just... It's just something that I feel, that's all," he answered honestly. "It's powerful, whatever it is..."

"Wow," she said, looking over at the pond. It was late, and the moon was reflecting off the surface of the water. She didn't really know what to say, so she didn't speak for a while. She looked back at him, then stood up. "Well, it's pretty late now. I'm going to get back to the hotel... Are you coming with me?"

"I actually need to clear some things up with Trish," he said, standing up. "If I don't come back tonight, it's not because I'm sleeping with her or anything. It's because I'm talking to her... I think it's time for us to reevaluate our 'relationship' if you can even call it that anymore..."

"Oh..."

It was weird now, because everything between them was so different. They didn't even realize that they were holding hands as they headed for his rental, but they were, maybe because it seemed so natural for them to do so...

The ride back to the hotel she was staying in was much too short for both of them, but they just had to deal with it. He pulled up in front of the hotel, then got out and went around to open her door for her. She offered him her hand and he helped her out, then closed the door. She leaned against the side of the car and looked up into his eyes.

"Not going to walk me up to my room?" she joked, but she was half-serious.

"You know I can't," he said, one hand braced on the car as he leaned near her. "I'd never be able to leave if I walked you up there."

"I know."

"And, I already told you this, I need to have that talk with Trish..."

She sighed and nodded, then looked around quickly before, putting her arms around him. "Kiss me?"

"Out here, in plain view of any and everyone who passes by?" he asked incredulously.

"It's late. No one's going to be watching us, and if they are..." Her voice trailed off as she leaned a little closer. "If they are, then maybe they'll get as hot as I do when you kiss me..."

"You're bad," he laughed, and then he kissed her.

They had only meant for the kiss to be a short, parting kiss but it quickly turned into something deeper. She pulled him closer and he kissed her harder, and they only broke apart when they both needed to come up for air.

"Damn, you make me get so out of control," he whispered, breathing hard.

"Kudos," she said breathlessly, touching his lips. "You better go before I drag you up to my room and rape you...or take you right here..."

"I'll try to come back later tonight," he promised, pulling away from her. "Go on inside because I'm tempted to rip your clothes off right now..."

She smiled and gave him another kiss, seemingly not caring that anyone could see them. Afterwards, she hurried into the hotel, and he watched her go. When she was safely inside, she turned and blew him a little kiss, and he caught it and blew her one back. Then he got in his rental and headed for his own hotel, wondering exactly what he was going to say to Trish...

Stephanie stepped into the elevator and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes and smiling. Just being around Chris made her smile, and thoughts of him kept a smile on her face even when he was gone. The man was amazing and she would've had to be a complete and total fool not to realize that. She felt someone watching her, and she opened her eyes to come face to face (or rather, face to _chest_) with someone she hadn't expected to see.

"Um, hello," she said nervously, trying to take a step back even though the intimidating man was all the way in the opposite corner of the elevator. "H-how are you?"

"You don't have to be nervous, I'm not going to hurt you," The Undertaker assured her in a surprisingly gentle voice. He let his eyes roam over her. "I'm just surprised that everything my brother Kane told me seems to be true."

"Kane? What'd he tell you?" she asked.

"That you and Chris Jericho have a...thing. From what I just saw right outside the hotel, it's true." He saw how the color drained from her face, and he smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile for her. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell that bastard of a husband of yours."

She let out the breath she'd been holding and smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you," she said shakily. "But how does he know? Kane, I mean?"

"He sees things that no one else sees, we both do," he said mysteriously. "Seriously, though, Jericho is a much better man than your husband, and I think it's nice that you can turn to him for comfort."

"It _is _nice," she agreed, nodding. "Chris is a really great person... I love...hanging out with him."

"Love, huh? That should tell you something," he said as the doors opened. "Oh, and Stephanie?" he added as she stepped out on her floor. She turned to look at him, and he went on. "There are things you don't know about your so-called husband. He's only your husband in name, really..."

"What do you mean?" she asked timidly.

"He calls himself your husband but he has yet to perform any of his husbandly duties besides wearing the ring," he explained. "And... I just think you should know that it's not wrong to want someone else if Hunter's not treating you right...because he's not. There are things about him that you don't know about..."

"What are you trying to say, Taker?" she asked, wondering why the elevator hadn't closed yet.

"I'm just saying... Don't try to make him love you when someone else already does," he said, smiling at her. "Now, goodnight, Stephanie."

"Wait! Who loves me?" she asked as the doors began to close.

"You already know," he replied cryptically, and then he was gone.

She knew who he was talking about, and even though she knew it could only spell out more problems for her already shaky marriage, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of Chris loving her as she made her way to her room...

**A/N: This is the longest chapter yet! I have no idea where the ideas for this chapter came from, but here it is! I just want to thank the people who are sticking with this story even though it's always changing so fast... And leave a review to let me know if I should change anything...**


	21. I'm Setting You Free

**Chapter 21**

Trish sat in the hotel room she was supposed to be sharing with Chris, the very same hotel room that he had yet to sleep in. She still hadn't found out where he'd slept at the previous night, but a nagging little voice in the back of her mind kept chanting in her head that he'd been with another woman. The way he'd acted earlier at the diner only made that little voice chant louder in her head, so loud that she couldn't ignore the truth anymore...

"But what's the truth?" she wondered aloud.

She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes, thinking about _her_ truth. She didn't love Chris, but he was always there to comfort her when things got rough... Not for much longer, though. Eventually, he was going to leave her and find himself a woman who could love him, and she knew that "eventually" would be sooner than later. She would miss him if...no, _when_...he left her, but not because she was in love with him. No, someone else had her heart.

_Hunter_ had her heart.

At the thought of what had happened between her and Hunter earlier that day, she buried her face in her hands. She just couldn't help crying at the thought of him..

It was this scene that Chris walked in on. The whole time on the way from Stephanie's hotel to his own, he'd built up his resolve, had built up his courage, had thought about the words he would use to break up with Trish. He wanted to let her down easy, because that was just the type of man he was. In his head, everything would go perfectly, and it would be a little something like this...

_"Trish, there's something you should know," Chris would say, walking into their hotel room and shutting the door._

_"Really? What?" Trish would ask. She would be lying on the couch watching something on the TV._

_"I... This might hurt you," he would say, sitting down next to her._

_"I'm incapable of being hurt," she would say, looking over at him and giving him a disinterested look. "Spit it out already while the show is on commercial break."_

_"Ok, here goes," he would say. He would pause and take a deep breath, then go on. "I'm in love with another woman."_

_"Oh, is that all?" she would ask with a laugh, looking back at the TV. "I thought you were going to say I had a pimple or something."_

_"So...you don't care?" he would ask in disbelief._

_"Not really. Why don't you just go be with her?" she would ask, not sparing him another glance._

_"No tears, then? No sadness, no suicidal thoughts?" he would ask skeptically._

_"No, one," she would say, standing up. "But I would like a hug before you go."_

_"Not a problem. Just let me go get my stuff," he would tell her, beginning to smile. He would go into the bedroom and get his luggage, then come back and put it by the door. Afterwards, he would walk over to her. "Hug?"_

_She would hug him and he would hug her back, and then she would whisper, "Good luck with Stephanie."_

_He would pull back, shocked. "What? How did you know it was-"_

_"Get out of here, Chris, she's waiting," she would say, laughing and pushing him away. She would slap him playfully on the butt and he would turn around, pretending to be angry._

_"Hey," he would scold her. "Hands off the merchandise. It's all Stephanie's now."_

_"Damn, I don't get the benefits of that sexy body of yours anymore?" she would ask, laughing as she walked him to the door. She would open the door and he would step out, turning to face her one last time. "Bye, Chris," she would say softly._

_"See you around, Trish," he would reply, and then he would be off, on his way to be with Stephanie..._

Of course, there was no way in hell this was going to happen. It was too perfect, and he knew that it could never be that perfect, not ever. He became even more aware of that fact when he walked into their suite and saw Trish over on the couch crying her eyes out... In his little fantasy of the way things would happen, she'd been over on the couch watching something on TV, not crying a river...

"Shit," he cursed to himself, going all the way into the suite and closing the door. He walked over to the couch, dropping the keys to his rental on the table before sitting down next to her and pulling her into his arms, where she cried on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, rubbing her back slightly. He knew how to comfort crying women now. He'd learned that from his experiences with Stephanie...

"Everyone's leaving me," she sobbed, not even attempting to stop crying because she knew that she couldn't. The tears would stop when they wanted to stop. "I'm not capable of being loved or holding on to a man."

"Where's this coming from?" he asked curiously, wondering if she knew that he was about to break up with her.

"You don't have to pretend anymore, and I _can't_ pretend anymore," she said, pulling away. "It's no secret now that you love another woman. You said as much earlier in the diner, and we both know that woman isn't me, so let's just stop pretending."

"Trish, I can explain," he began, but she put a shaking finger up to his lips.

"It's ok. I don't love you, either, Chris. I care about you, but it's not love, and it never will be," she went on. "I _do_ love the way you're always here to comfort me, and you _are_ great in bed..."

"Well, yeah," he said with a little laugh, and she laughed a little, too, despite the tears. "They say I'm the best," he joked.

"But," she continued. "My heart... It belongs to someone else, and I don't think I'll ever fall for anyone else...ever."

"So where does that leave us?" he asked, biting his lip. It was almost too good to be true, the fact that she felt the same way about their "relationship" as he did. "Me and you... I mean, what... Where do we go from here?"

"I don't know, Chris," she said, putting her arms around his neck impulsively and hugging him. "We're both not really happy with each other, and I don't want to hold you back when you have the opportunity to be with a woman who can love you...actually _love_ you. I don't want to be in the way of that." She leaned her chin on his shoulder and closed her eyes, arms still around him. "I think you should just go be with her..."

"It's not that easy," he said, thinking about Stephanie. "I want to be with her, but it's... It's a complicated situation, really complicated."

"It can't be all that complicated. Just go get your things and go be with her," she said, pulling back. "You want her and I'm setting you free... That way, at least one of us can be happy, and I'll feel a little better that at least you're happy..."

"If I didn't know any better, Trish, I'd think you were trying to get rid of me," he said, smiling a little. "Are you?"

"I'm just setting you free, Chris, that's all," she said with a sigh, finally letting him go. She got up off of him and sat down next to him but with about a foot of space between them. She felt like she had just hugged him for the last time, and surprisingly, that made her feel a little empty inside. She looked away and thought about what a mess her love life was.

"So, are you going to go be with this guy you love?" he asked curiously.

"I don't think that's possible," she said, sighing again. "It's all so complicated with him and... I don't think he'll ever take me."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes until she looked back at him and forced herself to smile. "So," she said brightly. "Go ahead and get your stuff and go be with her."

"I can't leave you here now, Trish," he said, not moving from his spot on the couch. "You're not ok right now, and I'm not going to just leave you here alone."

"I'll be fine," she assured him, her voice cracking a little. "Just go be with her, whoever she is."

"I..." His voice trailed off as he thought about the opportunity she had just given him. This was what he'd been dreaming of, this was like his little fantasy. She was setting him free, and he was free to go and be with Stephanie. All he had to do was go get his things and leave, and Trish was ok with it. What more could he ask for?

Without another word, he got up from the couch and went into the room to get his stuff. It wasn't that hard for him to gather up his things since he hadn't unpacked the night before... He'd stayed with Stephanie... He grabbed his luggage and went back out in the front where Trish was still sitting on the couch, looking off into space, and he couldn't help but think that she looked kind of like a lost little puppy with sad eyes.

"You're going." It wasn't a question, she was just stating the obvious. He was going, and he was leaving her, just like Hunter. Earlier when Hunter had made her go, it had been a little easier to swallow, knowing that Chris was going to be there to comfort her like he always did. Now that he was leaving her, too, she had no one to turn to for comfort, no one but a pillow that she would probably end up crying herself to sleep on.

"Yeah, I'm going," he said uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck like he always did when he was uncomfortable. She moved like she was going to stand up, but he spoke before she could. "You don't... You don't have to stand up and walk me to the door or anything." He walked his luggage over to the door, then walked back over to the couch and kneeled down in front of her. "I care about you, Trish, don't think I never did. I stuck with you even through everything that happened with Hunter..." He saw her flinch at the mention of Hunter's name, but he went on. "And even though we're... I guess we're not together anymore now... But even though we're not together, I'll still be your friend, if that's what you want." She nodded mutely, and he smiled a little, thinking they were on the same page. "Ok, well, um..." He stood up, then leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. "Go get your guy, Trish... Don't just sit here and be depressed."

"I'm so _not_ depressed, Chris," she said, smiling, but it was a fake smile and she didn't look at him. "I'm happy, I'm great, I feel great..." She was lying the whole time, but she didn't want him to know that. She just wanted him to go and be happy. At least one of them would be, and if anyone deserved to be happy, it was him since he'd stuck with her for all this time when she'd been using him...

When had she become this person she was now?

She didn't know.

"Well, if you're absolutely sure," he said skeptically.

"I'm very sure," she said immediately.

"Ok, then since you're sure," he said, grabbing his keys off the table. "I guess I'll get going." She still didn't look at him, so he opened the door and stepped out, bringing his luggage with him. "Bye Trish," he said softly, waiting for her to say something.

"Yeah, bye," she said, still just staring off into space.

He didn't know what else he should say, if anything, so he began to close the door. Right before he closed it all the way, he looked back inside and saw her crying. She was actually crying. Of course she would be crying, how could he think that she wouldn't? He closed the door all the way behind him and pulled out his phone. He needed to send Stephanie an IM...

_cjrocks: Steph, are you still up?_

_Stephy76: Yeah, waiting for you... Are you coming?_

_cjrocks: I wish I could, but I have some things to wrap up with Trish. Can we meet tomorrow sometime?_

_Stephy76: I guess..._

_cjrocks: Don't be mad at me, Steph, but Trish... She needs a friend tonight, and I can't just leave her like this._

_Stephy76: So you're staying? You're staying with her?_

_cjrocks: Just for tonight, to make sure she's going to be ok without me._

_Stephy76: Whatever, Chris. Do what you want._

_cjrocks: Please don't be mad, I'll have good news for you tomorrow, I promise._

_**System Message: Stephy76 is no longer online.**_

Chris read the message, surprised that she had signed off while he was still talking to her. Was she mad at him because he wasn't coming back tonight? It's not like he didn't want to go be with her, he did, but he couldn't just leave Trish alone in the state that she was in. He'd always been the type of guy to put other people's needs in front of his own desires, and that's what he was doing tonight. Trish had set him free, and that was huge for him, but tonight he was going to stay and comfort her...

He put his phone back in his pocket and took a deep breath before opening the door to the suite again. He stepped inside, pulling his luggage in with him and shutting the door. Trish looked up.

"Chris! I thought you left," she said, quickly wiping her eyes so he wouldn't know that she'd been crying again. "Did you forget something?"

"No, I didn't forget anything," he said, walking over to the couch and sitting next to her. "I just feel really bad for you right now, Trish. You're obviously upset and I know it can't be a good thing to just leave you alone while you're feeling like this."

"Don't pity me, ok? I've done some pretty messed up things these past two years," she said, her voice catching. "I don't deserve anyone's pity, least of all yours."

"Look, I'm here as your friend now. I said I'd be your friend, and I'm not going to go back on what I said," he said, opening his arms for her. "Now come here, because it looks like you need a shoulder to cry on, and I have two..."

She practically flew into his arms then, and she just let the tears come. He held her while she cried, and she closed her eyes. "Whatever woman gets you, whoever she is... She's so lucky," she whispered. "So lucky."

He didn't say anything. He just held her and let her cry on him, knowing that it was going to be a long night. His mind wandered off and before he knew it, he was thinking about Stephanie. _I wonder what she's doing right now..._

Stephanie sat in her hotel room on the bed, looking off into space and thinking. Chris had sent her an IM telling her that he was going to stay with Trish, "just for tonight." "Yeah, right," she said with a scoff, and she didn't know why she felt so bitter all of a sudden. It hadn't bothered her before when she knew that he was going to be with Trish, but now just the thought of it made her physically ill. She didn't want to share him, not with Trish...

She laid back in the bed and grabbed her cell phone. She had gotten mad at Chris when he'd told her that he wasn't coming back until the next day, so mad that she had just signed off of AIM even though she knew that he was probably going to send her another message. Ok, so she wasn't really, _truly_ mad at him. She was more nervous about what he was going to tell her after that, so that was why she had signed off.

She closed her eyes and remembered the night before when he had stayed with her. That was only the second time ever that he'd actually stayed with her all night, and that morning had been the second morning ever that she'd woken up in his arms... She didn't know why, but she felt like it would be a challenge for her to wake up alone the next morning with him not next to her... She wondered what he was doing, then frowned when she thought about it.

_He's probably doing Trish_, she thought bitterly, and then before she knew what she was doing, she found herself dialing her husband's cell phone number.

"Hello?" Hunter answered.

"It's me," Stephanie replied, looking up at the ceiling.

"Stephanie? Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No, nothing's wrong," she replied, closing her eyes and thinking about Chris. "I just... I miss you."

"Did you want me to come over?"

"Would you?"

"I'm your husband, of course I would."

"Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me. I'll be there in about ten minutes."

She didn't say anything else, she just ended the call and opened her eyes again. She sat up and waited, sitting on the edge of the bed, and ten minutes later, Hunter was knocking on her door, just like he'd said he would be. She got up and walked out of the bedroom and through the suite to the door. She opened it and he walked inside, and then she closed and locked the door. After that, she took a deep breath and turned to him.

"So... What did you want to do?" he asked, looking around.

"I didn't call you over here to sleep with me in..._that way_, if that's what you're thinking," she said, looking at him. She could've sworn that she saw a look of relief appear on his face, but maybe she was just imagining things, so she went on. "I just didn't want to be alone tonight..."

"And you wanted me to hold you while you slept," he finished for her. She nodded, and he bit his lip. "Sure, I'll do that, if that's what you want."

_It's not what I want, you're not who I want, but I guess it's the next best thing_, she thought, but of course she didn't say this out loud. Instead, she just grabbed his hand and led him into the bedroom. She got in the bed under the covers, and he took off his clothes, leaving on his boxers, then slid into the bed next to her. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close to him.

"Goodnight, Steph."

"Night, Hunter."

He paused for a minute, closing his eyes and thinking of Trish. "Steph... I love you."

She was already halfway sleep by now. "I love you, too, Chris," she whispered back.

"What'd you say?" he asked her loudly. "Did you just call me Chris?"

She didn't reply, though. She was asleep, already dreaming of being with Chris...

**A/N: I'm not happy with this chapter, not at all. I know what I wanted to happen, and most of it happened, but still... I'm not happy with the product, know what I mean? I'm going to work really hard on the next chapter, though, so hopefully that'll be a bit better... Review, por favor! Oh yeah, and I should be updating The Princess and The Duke sometime this week hopefully (I'm halfway through Chapter 10), and it's gonna be crazy!**


	22. I Love You

**Chapter 22**

Stephanie stared into the darkness of the room, listening to her husband breathing behind her. He had one arm thrown around her, pulling her to him, and he was snoring lightly. She was regretting the decision she'd made earlier of calling him, because for some reason she felt so out of place being with him and sleeping with him this way. She'd never really felt that way before with him, but now she did, and she knew why...

It was because of Chris.

She couldn't pinpoint exactly when things had changed between her and Chris, but she knew that they had changed somewhere along the way. From the day they had learned of the new storyline between Trish and Hunter to when he had admitted that he was falling for her in the park, things had changed. She didn't know what to think of their relationship now, since it had started because Hunter wouldn't sleep with her. She had no plans to end their relationship, at least not in the near future, but she knew that ultimately it was going to come down to her choosing between her marriage with Hunter and her relationship with Chris...and she wasn't ready to make that decision yet, because...

Well, she didn't know who she'd choose.

It should have been an easy decision for her to make. She and Hunter had been married for over two years while she and Chris had only been fooling around for a couple of weeks. She should've been able to, if faced with that decision, been able to just choose Hunter. He was her husband, after all, and while he hadn't been acting like much of a husband for a while, he was still her husband and there was no way she could just forget that...

She closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep, but she found it to be impossible. The first thing she saw when she closed her eyes was Chris's face, and she could hear his voice telling her that he'd fallen for her... She opened her eyes and sighed, wondering what she was going to do. She would have to do something, but she didn't know what that "something" was just yet. She didn't even know what Chris's status with Trish was at the moment, because she had signed off right after she'd sent her last message to him. If he'd said something afterwards, she didn't know, because she'd signed off before receiving another message.

All she knew was that she was lying in her husband's arms, thinking about another man.

Thinking about Chris.

"What are you thinking about, Stephanie?" Hunter asked from behind her, his lips brushing against the back of her neck softly.

She shivered, more like shuddered, and moved away just a little. "Nothing you would understand,"

"How do you know I wouldn't understand?" he asked her, suddenly thinking of his situation with Trish. He quickly tried to push the thoughts of Trish out of his mind, though. He had broken it off with her so he could focus on Stephanie and on their crumbling marriage, and yet, he found that Trish still weighed heavily on his mind... But he needed to focus on Stephanie right now, and that was what he decided to do. "How do you know I wouldn't understand?" he repeated, just for good measure, when he noticed that she hadn't answered him yet.

"There are just some things you know in life. This is one of those things," she replied, moving away from him and lying on her back. She turned her head to the side so she could peer over at him in the darkness. "How long have you been awake?"

"Ever since you woke up. I could kind of feel when you woke up because you felt different in my arms," he answered, putting even more space between them. He laid on his back and put his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling in the darkness. He had been dreaming about Trish, as usual, and something had woken him up. That something had been Stephanie. It wasn't like she'd really been moving or anything, he could just feel it when she woke up, and that had woken him up, too.

Stephanie didn't have anything else to say because she had so much on her mind, so she just closed her eyes again, hoping that she could maybe drift back off to sleep again. Maybe if she fell asleep again, then she wouldn't have to worry about her situation with Hunter, her marriage, or her relationship with Chris. Maybe all her problems would disappear, and she would just have a good sleep, filled with great dreams... She sighed again, knowing that once she fell asleep, she would be dreaming of Chris.

Hunter turned on his side to try to look at his wife in the dark. He had just remembered something she'd said earlier as they'd been falling asleep, something that had really piqued his interest, but he wasn't sure if it had piqued his interest in a good way or in a bad way. He didn't want to jump to conclusions about anything, though, so he decided that he needed to make sure that she'd said what he thought she'd said.

"Do you remember what you said earlier as you were falling asleep?" he asked her finally, after staring at her dark form for a few moments.

"No, what?" she asked absently, a bit distracted by her steady thoughts of Chris. It was like he was slowly taking over her mind, and she was constantly wondering what he was doing. Like now, for instance. What was he doing? Was he in bed with Trish? Were they asleep, or were they engaged in the most intimate of acts? Was he doing to Trish the things he'd done to her, and was he doing them as passionately as he had with her? Was he thinking about her, or was his mind only on Trish?

She didn't know the answers to all of her questions. Actually, she didn't know the answers to _any_ and it was driving her insane!

"I told you that I loved you," he said, breaking into her thoughts. "I told you that I loved you, and do you know what you said? You said, 'I love you, too, Chris.' Chris. Why did you call me Chris?"

She gasped inaudibly, covering her mouth with her hand. She'd said that? She'd _actually_ said that? She'd called him Chris? Jesus, she had slipped, and she had slipped _big time_. How was she going to cover this up? How was it even possible to cover this up?

Did she even want to cover it up?

"You haven't answered me yet," he said, interrupting her thoughts yet again. "Is there... Is there something I need to know?"

She gulped and found her voice again, speaking hurriedly. "No, there's nothing you need to know and there's nothing we need to talk about, nothing at all," she said quickly.

A little too quickly.

He reached over next to the side of the bed and turned on the bedside lamp, then turned back to look at his wife. She wasn't looking at him. She was looking up at the ceiling, and she looked...stricken. He knew then that she was keeping something from him, but he was clueless as to what she was hiding. He'd find out, though, and he'd find out soon.

"You're hiding something from me, aren't you?" he asked quietly.

"No." She tried to make her voice sound steady and strong, but it still quivered a little.

"It's something about someone named Chris, isn't it?" he persisted, still in that quiet voice of his.

"No." She was still struggling to sound firm, like she was speaking the truth, but it was getting harder and harder as he got closer and closer to the truth. She didn't know how she was going to be able to deny the truth if he asked her if she was fooling around with Chris...

"It's something about Chris Jericho, isn't it?" he asked. He didn't think it would be anything about Chris Benoit or Chris Masters, and he didn't really know that many other guys in the company named Chris that Stephanie really talked to. And, come to think of it, she and Jericho had been hanging out a lot lately, becoming friends while he and Trish had worked together on their storyline...

"No!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "There's nothing about Chris Jericho... I'm not hiding anything about him, nothing at all, nothing, not a thing. I mean, really, Chris and I, we're just friends, and-"

"Calm down and take a breath," he interrupted. "You're getting all worked up over this simple question... Kind of makes me think that something's going on with you..."

"I told you it's nothing," she said, mentally cursing herself for getting so worked up when he'd mentioned Chris's name. If she'd just stayed calm and answered his question with a simple "no" then maybe he wouldn't be suspecting anything about her...

He yawned and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling sleepy again. "We'll talk about this in the morning," he said as he yawned.

"Yes, in the morning," she agreed, mentally telling herself that by then, maybe she'd have some kind of lie prepared to tell him when he asked her about Chris. She laid there next to him until she heard him breathing evenly. That was her cue. He was asleep. She got up and grabbed her phone, then walked out of the bedroom into the front part of the suite and sat down on the couch. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she rested her chin on them and opened the web browser.

What was it that Chris had asked her to look up? Ah, yes, "Smoochy Dreamers." She typed the phrase into the search engine in her phone's web browser and waited for the results, wondering what the hell a Smoochy Dreamer was in the first place. Just before the page finished loading, though, she got a text message from Chris. Curiously, she closed her web browser and opened up the message center. She scrolled to the message that he had just sent her.

_Trish is calmed down and asleep now... I'm on my way over._

"Uh oh," she whispered nervously. She quickly dialed his number and listened to the phone ring, anxiously waiting for him to answer.

"Hey sweetheart," he said softly, upon answering the phone.

He'd called her sweetheart, and for some reason this made her heart flutter. "Hey," she whispered back, being mindful of the fact that her husband was sleeping. The last thing she wanted was for Hunter to wake up and hear her talking to Chris. "Where are you?" she asked quietly.

"I'm actually right down in the lobby of your hotel right now," he replied. "I just couldn't wait any longer to see you..."

"Don't come up here. Let me meet you down there," she suggested.

"Meet me downstairs? But why would you?" he asked, confused.

"I'll explain when we get there," she said in a firm, yet gentle voice. "I'll be there in about five minutes."

"Ok... I'll be waiting," he replied. He paused for a minute, then went on, deciding to take the plunge and just tell her how he felt about her. "Steph? I love you... Steph?" But the phone was quiet. Evidently, she had already ended the call when he'd said that he would be waiting for her.

_Maybe that was for the best. I shouldn't tell her something like that on the phone_, he thought, as he went and leaned against the wall next to the elevator to wait on Stephanie. He'd left his things in his rental car because he hadn't wanted to waste any time in getting to Stephanie. He was getting crazy about the woman. He'd found that it was hard to sleep without her now, now that he'd held her in his arms and slept before. He loved her, that much he knew, and he was going to tell her as soon as he had the opportunity to do so.

Just then, the elevator doors opened and he saw Stephanie step out, eyes darting around the lobby, looking for him. He observed her for a minute, taking in her appearance. She had on some sweatpants and a tight spaghetti strap shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and she had her phone and her keycard in her hand.

He walked up behind her and spoke softly into her ear. "Hey, sexy lady," he growled huskily. "Looking for a good time?"

She turned around and smiled lightly at him. "Hi," she said quietly.

"Want to go up to your room?" he asked immediately.

"We can't," she answered, distracting herself by playing with the zipper of the jacket he was wearing.

"Why can't we? All we have to do is get in the elevator," he pointed out, looking strangely at her. There was something about the look on her face that worried him. "What's wrong?"

"Can we...go talk somewhere?" she asked. "Somewhere that's _not_ my room?"

"How about the backseat of my rental?" he suggested with a grin.

"Sure."

They walked together out of the hotel and to his rental car. He unlocked the doors and they got in the backseat, then sat in silence for a minute.

He watched her for a while, then gently put his hand beneath her chin to make her look at him. He gazed into her eyes, noting a certain look in them... Fear. His voice was laced with concern when he finally spoke to her. "What's wrong, baby?" he whispered.

"There's a reason why we can't go up to my room," she began, deciding to cut straight to the point. She was kind of afraid that when she told him that Hunter was up in her room, he would make her leave without listening to her explanation. _Might as well get this over with, just in case he dumps me... But wait, we're not dating..._ Her thoughts were a total mess, and she was so confused...

"What's that? We don't have to sleep together if we go up to your room," he said in a soothing voice. "I just... I just want to hold you. I sleep so much better when I'm holding you."

"So do I. I feel safe...safe and warm," she replied, one hand on his arm. "I feel like I'm at home when I'm in your arms."

"Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be," he said, staring into her eyes. "Maybe it's supposed to be me and you... Just us..."

"But how can it be? I'm _married_," she emphasized, noticing how he winced at the word.

"Then get a divorce," he said quickly, not even having to think about it. "Just divorce him and get on with your life, beautiful."

"At this point, divorce isn't even an option," she said, shaking her head. "I'm... I can't consider that right now."

"You're already halfway there," he insisted. "I mean, you guys aren't even sharing the same hotel room anymore. Right now, he's on the other side of town, and you have no idea what he's doing."

"He's sleeping," she said softly.

"How would you know?" he wondered.

"I know because he's upstairs in my room," she answered, immediately looking away. If she had looked into his crystal clear blue eyes just a little longer, she would've seen the hurt that flashed in them, and he would've seen the shame that flashed in hers, but as it was, she had already turned away.

"He's...in your room?" he repeated in a raspy voice.

"Yeah, asleep," she said simply.

He licked his lips, then spoke, trying to keep his voice steady, but it cracked slightly. "How, Steph? Why?"

"After I talked to you earlier on, on AIM, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking you were with Trish, that you were..." Her voice trailed off.

"Thinking that I was what?" he prodded.

"That you were making love to her," she whispered, looking back into his eyes. "It was driving me crazy, Chris, just the thought of you doing to her the very same things that you've been doing to me... So I called Hunter.

"Steph... You didn't..._did_ you?" he asked, nervous about what her answer would be. "You didn't sleep with him because you thought I was sleeping with Trish, did you? Because I didn't sleep in the bed with her, I took the couch, and... Did you?"

"No, I didn't sleep with him that way," she said honestly. "I called him over, and I told him that I needed for him to hold me while I slept... But it wasn't him that I wanted to be there holding me. It was you."

"That should tell you something right there," he said, relieved that Hunter hadn't slept with his woman... Wait, _his _woman? "Is that all that happened?" he asked hopefully.

"No," she said slowly.

"What else happened?" he wondered. "Was it bad?"

"For me, yes," she said vaguely. "For Hunter? Definitely."

"Oh God, maybe you shouldn't tell me," he said, leaning back against the seat. "I don't think I could take it if you tell me that you sought out his lips while you were sleeping, and that you guys ended up having-"

"Stop it. He told me that he loved me," she interrupted, leaning back on the seat next to him, cuddling up close at his side. "He told me that he loved me, and he sounded so sincere that I knew I had to say it back."

"So you love him, huh?" he asked sadly.

"Yes... He's my husband, after all, so of course I love him," she replied. "But... He may not think so, after my reply to him."

"What did you say?" he asked, curious even though he didn't really want to know. He didn't want to hear about her love for Hunter...because it made _him_ hurt.

She looked at him, noting the look on his face. She leaned up a little to whisper into his ear, because maybe if she whispered it, it wouldn't be true and she wouldn't feel this way about him.

"What did you say?" he asked, feeling her warm breath on his ear.

"I said...and he quoted me on this..." She leaned closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke. "I said, 'I love you, too, Chris.'"

"This is just what I feared, that you loved him back," he said. "I mean, I guess I'm not enough. I must not..." At that moment, the words Stephanie had spoken registered in his brain, and he blinked, looking at her. "_What_ did you say?"

"Don't make me say it again, Chris, because it's wrong," she said, kissing the space just below his ear. "We're wrong... All of this is wrong. I'm not supposed to lo...to _feel_ this way for you."

"Wow," he said in disbelief. "This is just...wow. Can you say it again? Can you tell me again, please?"

She sighed, feeling the familiar sting of tears fast approaching. He pulled her into his lap and stroked her back idly, waiting to hear those words, those words she didn't want to say, even if she knew they were true. To say them would be acknowledging the fact that her marriage was irreparable, that it had failed, that _she_ had failed. She didn't want to fail, because failure made her feel vulnerable and worthless.

The tears slipped out as she leaned her head in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. He waited patiently for her to speak, and he hoped she would say what he wanted to hear...

"Chris," she whispered finally, her lips moving against his skin and muffling her voice. "I... I love you..."

"I love you, too. I was going to tell you as soon as I saw you... I just..." He kissed the top of her head and tightened his hold on her as he closed his eyes. "It's so funny how I was with Trish for, like, two years, and I never once told her I loved her...but then I started being with you, and now I've fallen for you."

"It wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered. "I... You promised me, Chris! You promised not to fall for me!"

"But I couldn't help it... I _can't_ help it," he whispered back. "It's the way you look at me, the way we touch... The way we make love... I can just _feel _the love when I'm holding you in my arms and you're sleeping..."

"It wasn't supposed to happen," she repeated, shaking her head. "But the way you describe it... It sounds so heavenly, Chris, so perfect..."

"Nothing is one hundred percent perfect, but this..._us_... We're as close to perfect as perfect can be," he said, making her look at him. He brought his lips down on hers, kissing her slowly, just taking the time to taste, to explore...to feel. He wanted to kiss her this way for an eternity... He wanted to hold her forever.

She pulled back, breathing heavily, one hand up to his face. Her eyes were clouded with lust, with passion, and she knew what she wanted...what she _needed_ from him. "I want you," she told him, something she'd been saying frequently for the past few weeks. "Not only that... I _need_ you."

"I don't have any protection with me," he whispered regretfully. "We can't... But I want to, because I need you, too..."

"I don't care about protection right now," she said huskily. "Just...make love to me..."

"Steph... Last time we did it without protection, you regretted it and you were angry with me," he pointed out. "I don't want that to happen again."

"It won't happen, Chris. I won't be angry with you this time," she assured him, staring into his mesmerizing eyes. "I want you, and I think... I think I know what I'm doing..."

"You're not on birth control, though," he reminded her.

"I know, but I don't want to wait," she whispered, running her fingers through his silky hair. "I promise you that I'm not going to regret this."

"Prove it," he said shortly, his lips inches away from her own.

"I love you," she said simply.

And that was all he needed to hear.

**A/N: What is _wrong_ with me? This goes against the storyline...and now I don't know... I had the end all planned out, and now? It's like I'm back at square one again! LOL! I'll figure it out soon, hopefully! Leave me a review and tell me how you liked (or didn't like) this chapter!**


	23. I Want You To Stay

**Chapter 23**

**A/N: On this past Monday night, I saw the absolute cutest picture of Chris, his real wife Jessica, and his real son Ash, and I regret to inform you all that I have lost my inspiration. I will no longer be adding to my Chris/Steph stories and... JUST KIDDING! I really did see this really awesome recent pic of the three of them together, but that's just not enough to make me quit! Email me if you want a link to the pic... On a serious note, though, this chapter is a wee bit confusing (aren't they all?) so bear with me... **

"I'm fine, Chris, I swear," Trish said, exasperated. "Leave, go out, go to a club or go wherever you always go at night. I'm _fine_."

"Just making sure," Chris said, looking skeptically at Trish. "I mean, you never do anything anymore. You used to go out or whatever, but now you just sit here all alone..."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be ok," she assured him, although she wasn't completely sure of that herself. "Now why don't you go on... You have a woman waiting for you somewhere in this city, right?"

"Yeah," he said softly, smiling at the thought of the woman waiting for him. The woman he loved, the woman who confessed to loving him back. Stephanie... It had been two whole weeks since they had told each other that they loved each other, and things had been going great for them. They spent portions of their days apart, but their nights were reserved for one another. Their relationship was getting better and better, and Chris felt like sometime in the very near future, he would finally be able to convince her to divorce Hunter...

"She's something, huh?" Trish asked, interrupting his thoughts of his relationship with Stephanie. "I can tell the way you feel about her by the look on your face."

"Yes, she's so special to me," he answered immediately. He didn't even have to think about it, he just knew. "I love her so much... I never knew I would, but I do, and I wouldn't give her up for anything..."

Love... Trish didn't know how the hell love could make him so happy while it made her so depressed. She wasn't even sure if she knew what it was supposed to be like. Ever since she'd realized that she loved Hunter, she'd been trying to figure it all out, and there was only one thing she'd figured out... It was painful, especially if the person you loved wouldn't be with you.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to throw it all up in your face," he said contritely, seeing the forlorn look on her face.

"We're friends. It's perfectly ok for you to talk about her," she said, forcing a smile to appear on her face and trying her hardest to make it stay there. "Speaking of her, when will I find out who the lucky lady is?"

"It's complicated right now," he said, looking away. "I'd like to tell the world who she is... I mean, I want to climb up on top of a building and profess my love for St...for _her_...to everyone! But it's complicated, and I can't do it, at least, not yet... Not until she's ready."

"I understand," she said, nodding. There was no use in asking him again because she knew what kind of man he was. He wasn't going to tell her who this woman was until that woman allowed him to tell everyone... She could deal with that. She wasn't sure she really wanted to know, anyway. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, then looked back at him. "Are you coming back tonight?"

"Actually, probably not," he replied, standing up. "I think I'm going to stay with her tonight..." He looked at her, concerned. "Unless... Did you want me to come back and keep you company?"

"No, but you're just wasting your money these days, getting these rooms with two beds in them," she said with a little laugh. "You never stay here anyway."

"I know, I know. I just can't seem to stay away from her for very long," he said with a shrug. "I always intend to come back and keep you company, but-"

"But you get so caught up in the moment, so caught up in just being with that person that you just can't break away," she finished for him. "I can relate. I know the feeling."

He looked at her, noting the sad look on her face. "Do you want me to stay? Because you don't need to be just sitting around in here all alone. It's depressing."

"I'm going out tonight," she said quickly. "I'm going out on the town. There, is that enough for you to quit worrying about me?"

"Are you going to be alone?" he asked. "Because I don't think it would be smart for you to go out alone and-"

"Mickie's coming with me," she interrupted. She was lying the whole time. She didn't plan on going out with anyone, especially not Mickie James. She didn't plan on leaving this spot on the couch, but she would say anything to make him stop worrying about her. He worried all the time, nonstop, about her. He worried about her so much that he still stayed in the same hotel room with her...but only if rooms with two beds were available. It was strange how easily they had settled into having a strictly platonic relationship, and it was even more strange how he worried about her like he was her big brother or something.

"Ok, well have fun, then," he said, feeling better that she wasn't going to be staying in again. "I expect for you to tell me how much fun you had the next time I see you...which should be tomorrow morning..." Because even though they were no longer a couple, they still traveled together. He was one of her only friends, and he couldn't very well travel with Stephanie because she was traveling with Hunter... It was a convenience type thing.

"I will," she replied, standing up to go in the bedroom. "Now get out of here. It's not polite to keep your woman waiting."

"You're right. She might bitch-slap me if I'm not there on time," he laughed, then cringed a little at the thought of Stephanie slapping him. He'd felt her slaps one too many times, and he wasn't looking forward to feeling another one ever again. "That woman is powerful!"

"I bet... Now go, I'm going to get ready because Mickie will be by soon," she lied, heading into the bedroom. "Have fun tonight!"

"I will," he said, thinking of Stephanie. "When I'm with her, there's no doubt that I'll have a good time..."

**The restaurant...**

Stephanie was waiting for Chris in a discreet, dimly-lit little restaurant a few blocks away from the hotel he had booked his room in. She saw him as soon as he walked through the doors. She would know him anywhere. She waved him over, then stood up. When he got to the table where she'd been sitting, she stepped into his arms and they hugged each other tightly.

"Hey, baby," he murmured into her ear, breathing in the scent of her freshly-washed hair. "You smell like strawberries."

"Hey," she murmured back, kissing him on the cheek. They both sat down on opposite sides of the small table, and she held his hand on top of the table. "What took so long? Was something wrong with Trish?"

"She was just being her normal depressed self," he said, rubbing her hand with his thumb. "I worry about her. Depression can affect people in the worst way..."

"I know," she agreed. "It can make you do crazy things... So how did you handle that situation?"

"I didn't have to handle it," he answered. "She told me that she was going to go out with Mickie tonight, so I'm not going to worry about her. But something kind of funny happened tonight."

"Really? What?" she asked curiously.

"She wanted to know who you were," he said with a smile. He bit his lip and his smile faded a little as he stared intently into her eyes. "You have absolutely no idea how much I wanted to tell her who you were... I want to tell somebody... I want to tell _everybody_."

"You know you can't tell anyone," she said, her smile disappearing as well. "I'm still married to-"

"Don't say his name," he interrupted. "Please don't say his name."

"Ok," she said. "I won't say his name... But Chris, you know we can't tell anyone about us..." He looked so sad when she told him that he couldn't tell, so she felt compelled to add, "Not yet, anyway."

"Then there's a possibility that you'll end things with him?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm not promising that it'll be this week," she said, squeezing his hand. "But if everything works out, sometime in the future you'll be able to tell the whole world about us, ok?"

"That's good enough for me," he said, squeezing her hand back. "I just want everyone to know how lucky I am. I just want everyone to know that I have you..."

"They'll find out...someday," she said noncommittally, letting his hand go and looking down at one of the menus that a waitress had left on the table earlier. "Now let's order. I'm starving!"

"Starving for my body?" he teased, picking up his own menu and winking at her.

"No, for a huge cheeseburger with everything on it," she said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation as she looked at a picture of a cheeseburger on the menu.

He cocked his head to the side and looked intently at her. "You want a greasy cheeseburger?"

"Mmmm, yes," she moaned. "I can taste it now."

"Ok, something's wrong with you. Are you feeling ok?" he asked curiously.

"I feel fine," she said, smiling at him. "I'm just really hungry right now..."

"If you say so..."

**The hotel room...**

Trish looked in the mirror at what she was wearing and sighed. Her tight shirt showed a lot of cleavage and showed off her toned midsection while her tight jeans hugged her in all the right places, and yet, she didn't feel sexy. She didn't feel wanted. She just felt...depressed, the same way she'd been feeling since Hunter had ended their relationship two weeks before. She felt rejected, too, and that wasn't a feeling she was used to having.

"Maybe I should go out, just for the hell of it," she said to her reflection. "After all, I _did_ tell Chris I was going out on the town... No reason to lie to the only real friend I have these days..."

She nodded her head at her reflection, mentally making the decision to go out. A few minutes later, she found herself at a low key bar down the street from the hotel...

**The bar...**

"What can I get you, pretty lady?" the bartender asked her as she seated herself at the bar.

"Oh, whatever you've got," Trish answered, putting her chin in her hand.

"Darling, we have a lot of different things for you to choose from," he said, gesturing behind him at all the different bottles. "Want to be a little bit more specific?"

"I'll take a martini," she said, naming the first drink she could think of. He served her a martini and as she sipped it, someone came up and sat at the bar right next to her.

"I'm back. Hit me," Hunter told the bartender as he sat down.

"Oh, it's you again. Did you find the bathroom ok?" the bartender asked.

"Yeah, Chuck, I found it," Hunter replied. "Now line me up some shots, please..."

"Vodka?"

"You know it."

Chuck lined up the shots as Hunter had requested, and Hunter downed them quickly, one by one. He was there to drown his sorrows. His life was a mess, a complete and total mess. He and Stephanie still traveled together, but they didn't share a hotel room anymore at all. He could still remember what she'd said the last time he'd told her that he loved her... She had called him Chris. He was pretty sure that Stephanie had a thing going on with someone named Chris, but that wasn't what was so depressing. What was so depressing to him was the fact that he'd given up the woman he truly loved to try to save his marriage...something that obviously wasn't meant to be saved.

"Hunter?" Trish asked, surprised.

He nearly choked on his drink at the sound of her voice. He put the shot glass down and turned to look at her. "Trish?"

"So you remember my name?" she joked feebly.

He turned back to Chuck. "Uh, I have to go. Here, this should cover my drinks." He stood up and pulled out some money, threw it on the bar, then turned and walked..._stumbled_...away.

"There goes my best customer," Chuck said, watching Hunter leave the bar. "I hope he makes it back safely to wherever he's staying..."

"What do you mean?" Trish asked, turning to look at him.

"He's been drinking..._a lot_...and if I'm not mistaken, he drove here alone," he answered with a shrug. "Normally I take the keys when a customer drinks as much as he has, but he's kind of a big guy and-"

"Oh my God," she interrupted, standing up. "Here, let my pay for my drink. I have to go after him!"

"Drink's on the house," he said good-naturedly. "You just be careful dealing with him. He's huge, and he's _drunk_..."

"We work together. I'll be fine," she said, already halfway to the exit. "Thanks for the drink!"

"It was my pleasure! Come back again!" he called after her as she left.

Trish stepped outside into the cool night air and looked both right and left. She spotted Hunter not too far away, fumbling with his keys as he stood by an SUV. She quickly made her way over to him.

"Son of a bitch! Stupid fucking..." His voice trailed off as he mumbled curses under his breath, angry that he couldn't fit the key in the lock to open the door. "Fuck this!" he exclaimed finally, pulling back to break the window on the front driver's side.

"No, don't do that," Trish said, grabbing his arm. She felt that familiar sensation starting to build up inside of her. She hadn't been able to touch him in two weeks... Well, not off-camera, anyway. Their storyline together was progressing nicely, just as they had planned..._before_ he had called it quits with her. Soon, they would have to kiss, and she would be lying if she said that she wasn't anticipating that kiss. She was. Even if it _was_ going to be scripted, at least she would be able to get a taste of him, for however long that lasted...

"Why did you follow me?" he asked, his voice noticeably slurred.

"The bartender told me that you'd been drinking a lot and that you drove to the bar by yourself," she said, her hand still on his arm.

"Why would you follow me, though?" he asked impatiently.

"I was worried about you," she answered quietly.

"You're not worried about me. You don't even _like_ me," he said with a scoff.

"You don't know that."

"Oh, but I _do_ know that."

"Then why would I follow you, if I didn't like you?" she countered.

"To laugh at what a drunk I've become, obsessing over you," he said with a sneer. "Imagine that, right?"

"Obsessing over me?" she repeated in a whisper.

"Surprised? Yeah, I'm always thinking about you," he admitted. "The woman who destroyed my marriage, made me fall in love with her, then told me that she used me because I was gullible... Yep, it surprises me, too."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, stepping even closer, her hand still on his arm. "I'm sorry for everything. I'd give anything to be with you again, Hunter, _anything_."

"Why can't you love me, Trish?" he asked in a low voice.

"I _do_ love you... I said I didn't, but I do," she confessed.

"God, I must be more drunk than I thought," he said, bringing one hand up to his suddenly pounding head. "I know I'm dreaming, I just know it... Wake me up."

"You're not sleeping, just drunk," she said with a sigh, reluctantly removing her hand from his arm. "What hotel are you staying in?"

"The Hilton," he replied, leaning against the SUV, one hand still up to his head. "Wake me up..."

"Give me the keys to this rental," she demanded. She was surprised when he handed them to her without argument. She made him get in the SUV on the other side and she got in on the driver's side. "I'm taking you to the hotel," she informed him.

"Fine, whatever," he mumbled...

**Stephanie's hotel room...**

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Stephanie asked, looking at Chris. A smile played on her lips as she noted the look of intense concentration on his face as he looked at her. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No," he answered, still staring intently at her. "I'm just still in awe at the fact that you _devoured_ that burger back in the restaurant!"

"Oh, and the fries! You can't forget the fries," she reminded him, still smiling. "If I close my eyes, I can still smell them... I wouldn't mind having some more of them..."

"Why so..._hungry_ tonight, Steph?" he asked curiously. "I mean, I'd be more than full if I'd ordered what you ordered."

"What are you trying to say, _Jericho_?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. "You calling me greedy? Fat?"

"No, no, I just think that burger you ate was the size of a football, that's all," he said quickly. He saw the sad look on her face and immediately felt bad. "I'm sorry, baby, I was just joking with you."

"I know," she said with a laugh. "Did you think that _I_ thought you were serious? Because I know you so well, Chris... I know when you're joking and I know when you're not... You can't pull a fast one on me."

"Oh I can't, huh? Sounds like a challenge to me," he said, pushing her down on the bed and straddling her hips. "Looks like I pulled a fast one on you..." He grinned down at her, then leaned down and kissed her softly. As usual, his hands began to travel, and when he got to a certain place, she broke the kiss, grabbing his hand in her own. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"Let's take it slow tonight," she whispered to him.

He climbed off of her and settled himself next to her on the bed, smiling a gentle smile at her. "Then slow it is," he whispered back, right before he kissed her again...

**Hunter's hotel room...**

"We're here," Trish said. She and Hunter were standing outside of his hotel room. The ride over had been much too short for her. She didn't care that he was drunk. All she cared about was the fact that they were together... It wasn't really under the circumstances that she wanted it to be, but she didn't care. As long as she was with him...

"Obviously," he said, using his keycard to open the door. He stepped inside and the door was almost closed before she said something.

"Can I come in?" she asked hopefully.

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because I drove you here and my hotel is on the other side of town, where the bar was," she replied. "So can I come in, at least for a little while?"

He didn't say anything. He just held the door open for her and she looked at him with both eyebrows raised. "What? You coming in or not?" he asked impatiently. He didn't wait around for her, though. He left the door open and walked inside, taking off his shirt and tossing it somewhere-he didn't care where.

She walked inside the room, trying not to stare at him now that his shirt was off and his upper body was bare, but that was impossible. She'd missed seeing this side of him, so all she could do was watch...

"I'm going to go take a shower," he said, not looking at her. "You can do whatever... Doesn't really matter to me..." He grabbed a towel and some other stuff, then went into the bathroom and shut the door. Once inside the bathroom, he leaned against the door and closed his eyes. Ok, so he was drunk, but he wasn't _that_ drunk. He didn't know what he was doing. There _she_ was, right in the room waiting for him, and he wasn't in there with her... _If I take my shower and she's still here when I get out, I'll ask her to stay_, he thought. _But if she's gone, then...she's just gone..._

Trish sat in the room and listened as the shower started running. She looked around the room, then walked over to the spot where his shirt had landed when he'd taken it off. She picked it up and breathed in the scent. It smelled like him...

She waited for a few minutes, then stood up. She didn't know whether or not he wanted her to still be there when he got out of the shower, so she felt that she should probably just leave. She didn't want to, though. She wanted to stay more than anything. If only he wanted her to stay, too...

He got out of the shower and threw a towel around his waist, not even bothering to dry off and put on clothes. Was she still out there? He opened the door and looked around the room, but he didn't see her. Then he looked over at the door, and he saw it closing. He hurried over to it and opened it before it could close all the way.

"Trish," he said quietly, looking at her.

"Oh, um..." She looked guiltily up at him, clutching his shirt tightly to her. "If this is about your shirt..."

"My shirt?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"You didn't even notice, did you?" she asked.

"I don't even know what you're talking about... I didn't notice anything except for the fact that you were leaving," he replied, staring down at her.

"Don't you want me to leave?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

"No," he admitted. "I... I want you to stay..."

She smiled up at him. "All you had to do was ask..."

**A/N: I know, I know, yet another note... I don't know what the heck was up with this chapter, seriously! I mean, I personally think too much was going on at once, but whatever, you know? I'm working on another chapter of "The Beginning" and I _still_ haven't posted Chapter 10 of "The Princess and The Duke." Life's been so busy for me these days... Please review and tell me if all this switching back and forth confused you or not...**


	24. She's Having An Affair?

**Chapter 24**

Chris rolled over in the bed the next morning and yawned, reaching for Stephanie...only to find that she wasn't there. His eyes popped open, and he quickly looked around the room, searching for any hint or clue that would tell him where she was, but he didn't find anything.

"Steph?" he called timidly, sitting up. No reply came. He got up, telling himself that he'd have to find her as soon as he could. He pulled on some boxers and went into the bathroom to get cleaned up...

Only to find Stephanie bent over the toilet, seemingly throwing up everything she'd eaten recently, and _then_ some.

In a matter of seconds, he was crouched down next to her at her side. He held her hair back with one hand so that it wouldn't go into the toilet. "Steph, honey, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly when she was done.

"I don't know... I just feel kind of weak," she whispered, allowing him to help her over to the sink. She brushed her teeth and used some mouthwash, then stood up and nearly collapsed against him. "Ok, really weak," she whispered as she leaned fully against him.

"When did you start feeling this way?" he asked, holding her protectively against him.

"I woke up this morning and literally ran for the bathroom," she told him, laughing a little. "I felt so nauseous..."

"Want me to take you to the hospital?" he asked seriously. "Because I'll take you if you're feeling bad..."

"No, I'm sure it'll pass," she assured him, although she wasn't really sure. She didn't remember ever feeling this sick, but maybe it was some kind of stomach virus or something. "It was probably that burger I ate last night... I don't usually eat those, you know?"

"I know," he replied, thinking back to the way she'd devoured that burger the night before. "Here, why don't you come in the room and lie down while I get cleaned up?" he suggested after a few moments.

"That sounds like a good idea. Why didn't I think of that myself?" she joked feebly as he helped her into the room.

"I don't know. I'm just a certified genius, so that's why I thought of it," he joked back, plumping the pillows up on the bed and then helping her rest against them. He pulled the covers up over her when he noticed her shivering. Noticing the sweat on her forehead, he touched it. "I'm going to bring you back a cool washcloth," he said, standing up. "I'll be right back, ok?"

"Ok," she said softly. Her eyes followed him until he disappeared out of view, and then she looked up at the ceiling for a minute before closing her eyes. She didn't like being sick, and this certainly didn't feel good. She was just thankful that Chris was there to care for her. She didn't know what she'd do without him, and she didn't want to know.

"I'm back," Chris said, sitting on the bed next to her and placing a cool washcloth on her forehead. "You just get some sleep... If you don't feel better soon, I'll call your dad and tell him you're not feeling very well and that you can't go in to work today."

"He won't like that very much," she pointed out. "He doesn't like it when I miss work."

"Well he'll just have to deal with it, then," he said, touching her face softly. "You're sick, babe, and I'm not going to allow you to go to work feeling this way. It's not good for you, and I care enough about you to realize that."

"Hunter would let me go," she said quietly.

"I'm not Hunter," he said quickly. "You didn't know that?"

"I know. It's all so clear to me now," she whispered, reaching up to touch his face. She trailed a finger down his jawline. "What did I ever do to deserve you? How did I ever manage to get you?"

He closed his eyes for a minute, just reveling in the feel of her soft fingers on his face."You were you," he said quietly. He opened his eyes and looked down at her. "You were you and that's all I ever want you to be... You're perfect."

She looked at him adoringly for a while, then closed her eyes. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve a man like Chris, but she was more than just a little thankful for him, and she was going to hang on to him for as long as she could. She wasn't stupid, though, and she knew that she would have to do something about her situation with Hunter soon... But she was intent on keeping Chris when the whole thing was over, that much she _did_ know.

She drifted off to sleep shortly afterwards, wishing she hadn't eaten that burger...

_**Hunter's hotel room...**_

Trish woke up to the feeling of Hunter's soft lips fluttering over the sensitive skin of her neck. She opened her eyes slowly and found herself looking into his eyes as he leaned up and looked at her. "How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"I haven't slept," he said, leaning down to kiss her neck again.

"Why haven't you slept?" she asked curiously, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair.

"I've been watching _you_ sleep," he admitted quietly. "And I've been thinking..."

"About?"

"Us."

"So there's an 'us' now?" she asked hopefully.

"There's _been_ an 'us' for a long time now," he said. "And I can't... I can't ignore the way I feel about you anymore."

She sat up then, and looked at him. They were both silent as they sat there, and then she spoke. "How do you feel?"

"I love you, Trish. I've told you that so many times," he said, reaching over to touch her face. "Even when I ended things between us a few weeks ago, I still loved you."

"Why did you end things between us in the first place?" she wanted to know.

"Because of Stephanie," he said, looking down at his hands. "And because of your whole confession... You told me you loved me, and then you admitted that you had just been using me the whole time because I was gullible..."

"I was just being honest with you," she said quietly. "I wanted to tell you the truth... I was tired of lying to you about it."

"So when you told me you loved me... That was a lie, too?" he asked, gazing at her intensely. "Even after you said it again last night?"

"I... I wasn't lying to you that day when I told you that I loved you. I just didn't want to let on how hurt I was when you ended everything, and at the same time I wanted to hurt you for hurting me, so I said that I didn't love you. I didn't want to look weak..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at him. "But Hunter, I'm not lying to you when I tell you that I'm crazy about you... And I'm not lying to you when I say that I want to be with you, that I _need_ to be with you..."

"I need to be with you, too," he whispered, cupping her cheek in his hand. "But what about Jericho? Aren't you with him?"

"We broke up that same night that you...broke up with me," she informed him, taking notice of how surprised he looked when she said it. "Yeah, I know, it surprised me, too, but I wasn't that broken up about him. I was more upset because of the fact that I didn't have you."

"Why did he break up with you?" he asked, appalled. "Doesn't he know how wonderful you are?"

"I never loved Chris, not the way that I _should've _loved him. I was using him. Without him, everyone backstage would've looked down on me about everything, you know?" she asked. He nodded his head and she went on. "But anyway, he came into the room that night and we had a long talk... We're both in love with other people, and we let each other know. We're still friends, though. I think his friendship is what's gotten me through the time that I've had to be without you..."

"Wait a minute, what did you just say?"

"We broke up."

"No, not that part," he said, looking at her in an odd way. "Did you say he's in love with another woman?"

"Yeah, he told me that he was, and it's obvious that he is when he talks about her," she said, thinking of the way Chris looked when he talked about his mystery woman. "I mean, his eyes light up and his smile... I can't explain it all, but he just glows, and anyone would be able to tell that he's head over heels for this lady."

"Wow," he said, still in disbelief. "So Jericho is in love with another woman and you're a single woman... And you two still travel together?"

"He worries about me because I've been so depressed without _you_, and it's also convenient for us to travel together," she explained. "We still share a hotel room as well, but only rooms with two beds... I don't know why he does that, though, because he's never there anyway."

"What do you mean he's never there?"

"At night, he leaves... He spends the night with his mystery woman, whoever she is..."

"Wow," he said again. "That's a lot to swallow... So who's the woman?"

"I'm not sure. He never says her name, but I'm pretty sure it's someone in the company. Otherwise, how can he spend the night with her practically every night when we're on the road?" she asked. She waited for him to say something, but he just stared off into space, looking deep in thought. "Hunter?" she asked skeptically. "What is it?"

"It all makes sense now," he said, still looking off into space. "It makes _so _much sense right now."

"What are you _talking_ about?" she demanded when he stopped talking and just looked off into space.

"That day I broke up with you... That night, Steph and I were about to go to sleep, and I told her that I loved her..."

"That's not something I really want to hear."

"No, listen," he insisted. "I was holding her in my arms. She'd called me over just for me to hold her as she slept, and I wanted to try to fix things with her... But anyway, I told her I loved her, and do you know what she said?"

"No, what?" she asked, now curious.

"I love you, too, Chris."

"What?" she screeched, eyes wide. "Do you think she-"

"It makes so much sense," he went on, ignoring her. He was lost in his own thoughts now. "I knew there had to be some other guy, I just knew it. Why didn't I figure it out before? She's been wanting separate rooms and we haven't been spending much time together... It makes so much sense!"

"What makes sense now?"

"She's been having an affair with Jericho!"

"You don't know for sure," she pointed out. "She could've just been saying that she loves him because he's been a great friend to her lately. Think about it, Hunter. He's been there for her when you haven't been, you know? So maybe she _does_ love him, as a _friend_."

"You're right," he said after a minute, looking at her. "You're absolutely right. I don't know why I'd jump to conclusions like that. I mean, Jericho and I aren't exactly the best of friends, but I just can't see him being the type of guy who would sleep with a married woman..._my_ wife..."

"Yeah, speaking of your wife, why isn't she here with you right now? Why am I here instead?" she asked.

"She's the one who started wanting to get separate hotel rooms, and who was I to deny her?" he asked with a shrug. "She wanted her space, so I gave it to her."

"But I thought you wanted to work things out with her," she said almost accusingly. "I mean, that _is_ what you said."

"It's not working. I've tried, Trish, but we kind of lost our chemistry, that feeling we had when we first got together... I know it hurts her, but I don't know what to do about it." He sighed. "And then there's you... I couldn't stop thinking about you..."

"So basically your marriage is a lost cause... What are you going to do about it?" she asked.

"I don't know yet... I haven't really planned anything out yet, if you want me to be honest about it," he replied, leaning his back against the headboard of the bed and closing his eyes. "I know it seemed like I had all the answers a few months ago back when she found out about me having a part in writing our storyline, but now I don't know what to do."

Before he knew what was happening, she was straddled across his lap. She cupped his face in both hands, running her thumb lightly over his lower lip. "You say you love me, and you mean it, right?"

"Yeah, I mean it," he answered, wrapping his arms securely around her waist. "I _do_ love you, Trish..."

"Then you can do what you wanted to do a few months ago... That thing I wouldn't let you do because I was worried about how it would affect my plan..."

"And what of the plan?" he interrupted.

"Forget about the plan. It's not worth losing you. I've realized that," she said, still touching his bottom lip. "You can do it now, though, and you don't have to worry about me opposing it, because I want it, too."

"Do what?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. "Refresh my memory..."

She kissed him lightly, then pulled back, leaning her forehead against his. Looking into his eyes, she went on in a low voice, almost a whisper...

"Divorce her."

**A/N: I know it's extremely short... I haven't had a chapter this short in a while! But I had to end it there, I just had to, because it seemed like the right place... So review and tell me what you guys think! Thanks!**


	25. More Than A Stomach Bug?

**Chapter 25**

"I'm not lying to you, Chris. I feel fine now," Stephanie said, looking over at Chris, who was in the driver's seat of the rental. "Get that skeptical look off your face. I'm telling you the truth."

"You feel fine _now_," Chris said, looking at her, concerned. "But Steph, you've been getting sick _every day_ for the past week or two, and you won't let me take you to the hospital..."

"Because it's just a little stomach bug," she insisted, reaching over to place a reassuring hand on his arm. "It'll pass. I know it will."

"Are you sure it's a mere stomach bug?" he asked, still skeptical. "Because you haven't been able to keep a lot of things on your stomach and that's not normal for you."

"Look at me, sweetie," she said in a gentle voice. "Do I _look_ sick to you?"

"No," he said slowly. "But you were sick this morning, and yesterday morning, and the morning before _that_..."

"I know, but I feel fine now," she said, trying to persuade him. "However, I might not feel fine if I don't get in my office and get to work soon... If I'm not in there within the next ten minutes, my dad is going to split his wig!"

"Your dad wears a wig?" he gasped in mock wonder. "Man, I never knew that..."

"You know what I mean," she said, shoving him lightly. "Now come on, let's go in the building." She reached for the door handle, and he reached over and covered her hand with his. "What?" she asked.

"Let me open the door for you," he suggested in a soft voice.

"Ok," she answered, looking into his eyes and nodding. Looking into his eyes, she had a sudden feeling that she would probably agree to anything he suggested, just as long as she was looking into his eyes and he was speaking to her in that sexy low voice...

He kept his hand on hers for a minute, leaning over a little closer and smiling lightly at her. "Do you know how much I love you, woman?" he asked in a teasing voice, but he was serious.

"Oh, I don't know," she joked. "Why don't you tell me?"

"I love you so much, Stephanie," he whispered sincerely. "Too damn much."

"I love you, too," she whispered back. "Just as much as you love me."

"I'm glad you feel that way," he said, kissing her softly. "Because I'd be completely lost without you in my life right now."

"I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. I just can't see my life without you in it, Chris," she whispered, smiling back at him. She kissed him back for a minute, then grudgingly pulled away. "As much as I'd love to just have my way with you in this car, we can't do it right now... I really have to get to work now," she said, touching his face softly.

"You're right. We have work to do," he agreed, pulling away. He got out of the car and walked around to her side, opening the door for her. He helped her out, then offered her his arm. She slipped her arm through his and smiled at him, and they headed for the entrance to the building.

"So, here we are, in the building," Stephanie said a few short minutes later. She looked at Chris, then looked at their arms, which were still looped together.

"Oh, I guess that means we should...let go, huh?" Chris asked, looking kind of sad. He started to move his arm, but she only clutched him tighter in response.

"No," she said softly, gazing into his eyes. "I don't want you to let go, Chris, no matter what happens... Promise?"

"You're talking about more than just our arms, aren't you?" he asked knowingly.

"I love how you always know what I mean without me having to say it," she said, a happy sigh escaping her lips. "You know me so well."

They made their way to her office together, and she leaned against the closed door staring into his eyes yet again "We're here now," he said after a moment, although it was quite obvious that they were there.

"So, I guess this is goodbye for now..." Her voice trailed off.

"Remind me of the reason why you don't want me to come in there with you now," he said, leaning against the wall next to the door.

"Because I'd never get any work done," she answered, smirking a little. She went on in a lower voice, placing one hand on his hip to pull him closer to her. "I'd get _you_ done, though..."

"I'm sure you would," he said, grinning at her. "And if you keep talking like that, I'm going to end up taking you in your office and..." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and his voice trailed off, leaving her free to draw her own conclusion about what he was going to say.

"You better go," she said, taking a shaky breath. "I need to get to work and you're distracting me..."

"How?" he asked, taking a step closer. "By...standing here? Like this?"

"Maybe," she said, and then, for reasons unknown, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly to her. "Thank you," she whispered to him.

"For what?" he asked, surprised, but not too surprised to put his arms around her and hold her. "What did I do?"

"More than you know," she said, still hugging him, reveling in the feelings she was getting from just being in his embrace.

They both fell silent as they hugged each other, both thinking of how perfect it felt to be that way... It was this scene that Hunter walked up on when he came down the hall in search of Stephanie. He could still remember what Trish had suggested to him nearly two weeks before, and he knew that she was right. He was going to have to end things with Stephanie, and soon...

"Hello, Stephanie," Hunter said stiffly, coming to a stop near the two embracing near the door. His gaze landed on the man who was currently hugging _his_ wife. "Jericho."

"Hunter," Chris said curtly, slowly letting Stephanie go.

"Hi, Hunter," Stephanie said nervously. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Less than a minute," Hunter replied. He paused, thinking. _Just tell her that you want to divorce her..._ He took a deep breath, then went on. "We... We need to talk..."

"I guess that's my cue to leave," Chris said, glaring at Hunter. He was pissed that Hunter had interrupted and _ruined_ his moment with Stephanie, but he was determined not to let that anger show. Instead, he looked at Stephanie and smiled. "I'll be back to see you, Steph," he said quietly, reaching up to tuck a few loose strands of her hair behind her ear. She looked at him with wide eyes as he leaned closer and closer towards her, like he was going to kiss her. He cupped her chin in his hand and moved closer...

"Chris," she whispered. "What are you-"

Chris turned his head at the last minute and kissed her on the cheek. He let his lips linger on her skin for a while, then pulled away. "Later, Steph," he said, running his fingertips across her cheek. He glared at Hunter one more time. He truly resented him for messing up their moment... Without another word, he smiled at Stephanie again, then turned and walked away, leaving both Hunter and Stephanie staring after him.

"He sure knows how to make an exit," Stephanie muttered to herself, but she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face.

"What the hell was that?" Hunter exploded when Chris had disappeared from their view. His harsh tone of voice echoed down the hall, and Stephanie turned to look at him.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Be honest with me. Is there something going on with you and Jericho?" he demanded.

"His name is Chris, you damn asshole!" she snapped, swaying suddenly on her feet. She was feeling dizzy..._again_...and she knew she needed to sit down. She opened the door to her office, went inside, and hurried over to the chair at her desk. She sat down and closed her eyes, willing both the dizziness and her husband to go away. _Maybe if I just close my eyes, he'll get the hint and leave me alone_, she thought wearily.

Hunter closed the office door, then made his way over to the desk. He whirled her chair around to face him and crouched down in front of her. "Steph," he said.

"What?" she asked, opening her eyes and feeling a little sick in her stomach from the motion in the chair... Or maybe she was sick because of the fact that he was so close in front of her. She wanted to scream at him for being so close, but she resisted those urges, putting one hand over her abdomen and waiting patiently for him to speak (if it was anything like his promos in the ring, she knew that she would be waiting all night-uh for him to finish-uh one sentence-uh).

"Steph, a lot has been going on...with me, and with you," he began. He exhaled deeply. "And-"

"Oh my God, Hunter, what are you chewing?" Stephanie interrupted, scrunching her face up.

"The usual. Orbit gum," he said, confused. "Why?"

"It's... Oh God!" She clamped a hand over her mouth. "Move!"

He looked bewildered, but he moved as she'd asked. He watched her run out of the room, and then he got up ad ran after her. He followed her all the way down the hall, but he stopped when she disappeared into the women's bathroom. He considered going in there just to see if she was ok, but he didn't know if any other women were currently occupying the bathroom and he didn't want to scare them...or embarrass himself...

"Hey... What are _you_ doing here?" Trish asked, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. "Did someone tell you that I was going to be heading for the bathroom about this time or what?"

"No. Steph is in there. I think she's sick," Hunter replied, sounding worried. "I was just talking to her and all of a sudden she... Trish?" He looked around, but Trish was nowhere to be found. Where the hell had she disappeared to?

Trish stepped into the bathroom and immediately heard Stephanie gagging. Trish didn't know why she was even in here now, checking on _Stephanie_ of all people. Maybe it was because she was a different person now, now that she knew how it felt to truly and completely love someone... Or maybe it was because of the sudden overwhelming guilt she felt for sleeping with the woman's husband... It didn't matter what the reason was, though. Either way, she was in the bathroom, and her intentions were to help Stephanie, as unbelievable as that may seem.

"Stephanie?" Trish called timidly, making her way past the first two empty stalls and stopping at the third one. It was obviously the stall Stephanie was in. "Stephanie? Are you ok?"

"No, not really," Stephanie called back weakly. "I'm not... I'm not ok."

"I'm coming in, ok?" Trish asked. Without waiting for approval, Trish opened the door to the stall Stephanie was in and looked at her. "Wow. Looks like you just threw up everything you ate," she commented.

"I did," Stephanie replied with a sigh. "I've been sick like this for nearly two whole weeks... It's been two weeks of hell, off and on."

"Care to describe what this whole sickness of yours has been like?" Trish asked, leaning against the wall.

"Why would I tell _you_, Trish?" Stephanie asked, looking up at her. "You ruined my marriage. There's so much history between us that-"

"You're friends with Chris, right?" Trish interrupted.

Stephanie couldn't ignore how fast her heart started pounding at the mention of her lover's name. "Yeah, really good friends," she said, smiling a little despite the fact that she felt incredibly sick and weak.

"You do know that he and I broke up but we're still friends, right?" Trish asked.

"Yes, I know," Stephanie replied. "He told me the whole story... What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything. If Chris can be forgiving enough to leave the past in the past where it belongs, then don't you think you can, too? I mean, I know I did some bad stuff, Stephanie, but I'm changing, slowly but surely," Trish said in an almost pleading voice. "I'm not saying that you have to like me or be my friend or anything... But you were just in here throwing up and everything, and I'd like to help you out... What do you say?"

Stephanie didn't have the chance to reply as another wave of nausea hit her, and she leaned over the toilet again. This time, it was Trish who was holding her hair back so that it wouldn't fall into the toilet, and while it was all weird to her, she was grateful of the fact that Trish was willing to help her.

A few minutes later, Trish spoke again. "Want to tell me how your sickness has been?"

"I honestly think it came from this one huge burger I had about two weeks ago," Stephanie said, leaning against the wall. "The morning after I ate the burger, I woke up running for the toilet, and it's been like that ever since then."

"What makes you sick?" Trish asked.

"I don't know. It's like I'll smell something and all of a sudden, I'm about to throw up," Stephanie replied. "Take what happened just a few minutes ago. Hunter was talking to me and I got a whiff of the gum he'd been chewing... And the next thing I knew, I felt it all just rushing up and I made it here to the bathroom just in time..."

Trish listened to Stephanie explain the symptoms of her sickness, and when Stephanie was finished, Trish was silent for a moment. "Um, Stephanie?" she asked after a moment.

"Yeah?" Stephanie asked weakly.

"You know I wanted to be a doctor before I came here, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, what you just described to me... It sounds a lot like..." Trish's voice trailed off.

"Like what?" Stephanie persisted. "A stomach virus?"

Trish shook her head but said nothing.

"Then what?" Stephanie demanded.

"It sounds like morning sickness to me," Trish said finally. "I think you should take a pregnancy test."

**A/N: I felt like updating... Two days in a row! I started writing this today in my Psychology class and it just took on a mind of its own. I had this whole story all planned out, but my outline had to be changed when Stephanie told Chris that she loved him for the first time back in Chapter 22... That wasn't supposed to happen! Now I think I can sort of revert back to my first outline with this sudden change of events... Ok, no, this was planned from the beginning... I'm talking too much! Leave me a review if you feel like it! Thanks!**


	26. I Don't Know Anymore!

**Chapter 26**

_"A pregnancy test? There's no way I need one of those," Stephanie declared._

_"Stephanie, I studied this when I was in school, and I really do think you should get a pregnancy test," Trish insisted._

_"But I can't... There's no way that I could be...that."_

_"Have you had sex lately?"_

_"That's a bold question to ask."_

_"Have you, or have you not?"_

_"The last time I was with Hunter was over a month and a half ago, and we used a condom," Stephanie said, remembering that night and purposely leaving out the fact that she and Chris had been having unprotected sex for the past few weeks._

_"Condoms aren't one hundred percent effective, though," Trish pointed out. "The only way you can be sure that you won't get pregnant is by practicing abstinence..."_

_"You sound like my old sex ed teacher from middle school," Stephanie said with a small smile._

_"I can't imagine being a sex ed teacher," Trish said, thinking about the sex ed class she'd taken in high school. "Rolling a condom on a banana does _nothing_ to prepare you for rolling a condom on a throbbing, erect-"_

_"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Too much information," Stephanie interrupted. "Now... Are you sure that I need to take a...well, that kind of test?"_

_"Positive. The way you described it..." Trish's voice trailed off._

_"Fine," Stephanie agreed finally, running her fingers through her hair, feeling completely frustrated. "I'll take the test."_

_"Good, good" Trish said, looking critically at her. "You'll let me know the results of the test after you take it, right?"_

_"We're not friends, Trish, but I'll tell you if you do me a favor," Stephanie said after a minute._

_"What's that?"_

_"Don't tell Hunter or Chris about anything."_

_Trish held her hand out. "Deal," she said, smiling at Stephanie._

_Stephanie clasped Trish's outstretched hand and shook it, smiling back for some odd reason. Why was Trish being so nice to her, and why was she being so nice to Trish? Trish had destroyed her marriage to Hunter, had caused so many problems for her... But Stephanie knew the real reason she couldn't hate Trish fully, and it had nothing to do with the fact that Trish had just given her some good advice about what could possibly be wrong with her..._

_It was because Trish had practically given Stephanie the best thing in her life at the time..._

_It was because Trish had given her Chris..._

Stephanie sat on the edge of the tub and closed her eyes. The pregnancy test she'd purchased just a few short minutes before rested unopened and unused on the counter near the edge of the sink. She was at her house with Hunter in Connecticut, locked in their bathroom, contemplating whether or not she was going to take the test. She'd told Trish that she would, but that had been three days ago...

What if she was really pregnant? What would she do? If she _did_ turn out to be pregnant, she knew without a doubt that the baby would be Chris's. There was just no possibility that Hunter could be the father, especially not with all the unprotected sex she'd been having with Chris... She had to admit, she'd been reckless... She'd been all caught up in the moment and demanded that Chris take her, regardless of the fact that they'd run out of protection...

_Maybe I want this_, she thought, eyes still closed. _Maybe I want to have Chris's baby..._

With that thought in mind, she opened her eyes and stood up. She grabbed the pregnancy test and opened it, then proceeded to take the test quickly before she had the time to go back on her decision and change her mind. After that, all she could do was wait, so she sat back down on the edge of the tub and looked blankly at the wall.

What was she going to do?

She had been sitting there for only five of the required ten minutes when there was a knock on the door. She was startled out of her thoughts, and she stood up quickly. "Y-yes?" she called in a shaky voice.

"You've got a visitor," Hunter said, sounding grumpy.

"A visitor? Who?" she asked, not opening the door.

"Jericho," he spat, as if the name tasted nasty.

_Chris is here? Oh my..._ She grabbed the pregnancy test and looked around for a safe place to put it. At the last second, she dropped it in the garbage and covered it with some tissue. _That should be fine until I get back in here... Chris is here?_ All she could think about was the fact that apparently, Chris was at her house. She hadn't seen him since Tuesday night, and now it was Thursday afternoon...

"What's he doing here?" Hunter asked, grabbing her arm as soon as she came out of the bathroom. "Why is Chris Jericho at our house? _Our_ house?"

"Chris and I are friends, you know that," Stephanie said, glaring at him. "Now it's got to be something important for him to come all the way here when he lives in _Florida_, so let my arm go so I can see what he wants."

"Steph, I don't want you hanging with him anymore," he said, letting her arm go and folding his own arms across his chest.

"You don't get to choose my friends for me, Hunter. Don't you get that?" she asked, folding her arms as well.

"He kissed you right in front of me!"

"On the cheek, or are you blind?"

"He was aiming for your lips," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what he's trying to pull, but there's definitely something up with him. I can sense it."

"Think what you want to think," she said shortly, turning on her heel and heading for the door. "Chris is waiting for me..."

"Steph... Stephanie, wait," he said, going after her. She turned around with a frown on her face, and he stepped closer to her, pulling her into his arms and hugging her. "I don't want to lose you, baby," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, shocked that he was hugging her and kissing her. When was he ever really affectionate with her this way?

"I'm talking about us, Stephanie... You're my _wife_, but when's the last time we shared a hotel room? When's the last time we even shared a bed?" he asked, still hugging her. "We've been home since Tuesday night, and we still haven't slept in the same room..."

"I've just needed some space, that's all," she said, breathing in his scent. It was still the same as she remembered it to be, and oh, how good he smelled... She felt herself snuggling closer to him, just to feel this body that she really hadn't felt in a long time...

"Space, huh? Well don't forget..." He pulled back a little and tilted her chin up, then gave her a soft kiss. She closed her eyes, and he pulled back. "Don't forget about me..."

"I won't," she whispered, opening her eyes and gazing up into his. She turned away quickly and practically fled from the room.

Hunter watched her go and smiled, but when she disappeared from the room, his smile disappeared as well. Why had he done that? Why had he kissed her when he didn't even want to be with her? Why had he said all those things when he was planning to divorce her sometime in the very near future? He didn't know the answers to any of his own questions, and it made him mad. The one thing he _did_ know was that he loved Trish, and he was going to be with her...

_Maybe a shower will calm me down,_ he thought, and then he headed for the bathroom...

Chris stood pacing back and forth in the entrance hall of Stephanie and Hunter's huge Connecticut home. He hadn't seen Stephanie since Tuesday night, and it had been pure torture for him. He couldn't be without her, and he'd realized that. He had come today to persuade her to leave Hunter...and that's just what he was going to do.

"Chris, what are you doing here?" Stephanie asked, walking down the stairs.

"I had to see you," he whispered, meeting her at the foot of the stairs. He pulled her into his arms and held her there, then kissed her. "God, I missed you..."

"It's only been, like, two days," she whispered back. "You can't survive without me?"

"No," he said honestly. "I can't be without you..."

She smiled at him, then kissed him. "I can't be without you, either..."

"If you feel the same way that I do, Stephanie, then why won't you just leave him?" he asked her quietly, his lips brushing her ear. "Why won't you just leave him and be with me?"

"I will, I just haven't figured out a way to tell him it's over," she replied in a voice just as quiet as his.

"Steph..."

"I'm working on it, Chris..."

He stepped away from her and stared intently at her. "Do you want to be with me? Really?"

"Yes... How could you think otherwise?" she asked, taking a step toward him.

"You're still with _him_, though," he said, looking away. "I was sitting at home _wishing_ that you were there with me, but there's no way that you _can_ be with me if you're with him."

"I'm yours, Chris, ok?" she assured him. "And I'll leave him soon enough. I just have to do it on my terms, when I'm truly ready."

"What if I'm _already _ready?" he countered.

"Chris..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at him. "I don't want to argue with you about this. Just wait for me."

"I've _been_ waiting, Steph, and I'm tired of it. I dumped Trish for you, didn't I? For us?" he pointed out.

"You did," she conceded. "But it was different. You and Trish were only dating. Hunter and I, we're-"

"Married. That's obvious," he interrupted. "You don't have to keep reminding me..."

"I'm sorry, ok? But how the hell am I supposed to do it?" she asked loudly. "I mean, what do you want me to do? Just waltz up to him and say, 'Hunter, I cheated on you with Chris Jericho. I've been screwing him for months now, so I'm divorcing you.' Is that what I'm supposed to do?"

"No, you're supposed to tell him the truth. You're supposed to tell him that you love me," he said. "You're not supposed to make it seem like our relationship is just all about sex."

"But maybe that's what I want him to believe," she snapped.

"Are you serious?" he asked, mouth gaping. "You don't want him to know that you and I... That we're in love?"

"_You're_ in love, Chris. I don't know what I am," she said, looking away from him.

He took another step away from her. "Excuse me?"

_Don't make me say it again... Why did I say that in the first place?_ she wondered, but she didn't speak. She just looked over at a spot on the wall, feeling his eyes burning a hole in her.

"St... Steph? Don't you...love me?" he whispered, his voice shaking a little.

"I don't know anymore," she whispered back. "I mean, I do, ok? But not enough to just leave him so soon..."

"What do you mean, so soon? It's been months!" he exclaimed. "If that's not long enough, I don't know what is!"

"You can't just rush these types of things! You can't rush a divorce, Chris! But you wouldn't know that, would you, huh? Because you have never been married, have you?" she asked angrily.

"What a low blow," he said quietly. "I can't believe you would say something like that to me... Someone you supposedly _love_... But I'm beginning to wonder now if you ever truly meant that when you told me."

"You know what? I can't... Just leave," she said, turning her back to him. "I have so much going on right now, and I'm so frustrated. You just don't understand what I'm going through! I have so many things happening at once, so many bad things, and I don't want to keep arguing with you... I love you but you can't... I can't... Just go."

"I came all the way from Florida to be with you, and you're just going to make me leave?" he asked incredulously.

"My _husband_ is right upstairs! What do you expect from me?" she asked, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes. "What do you _want_ from me?"

"I just want your love," he whispered, closing the distance between them and kissing her. "I just want your love..."

She kissed him back, putting her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. She pulled back a short while later and stared into his eyes, biting her bottom lip nervously. "Chris," she whispered. He leaned his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes for a minute. She opened them shortly after and spoke again. "You better go..."

"Why did that just feel like a goodbye kiss?" he asked, his voice catching as he looked into her eyes.

"Stephanie!" Hunter called from the top of the stairs, causing them both to look up. He was standing at the top of the stairs holding something in his hand, and he had the most shocked look on his face. "You and I need to talk."

"Chris, we'll have to talk later," Stephanie said, tearing herself away from him. She looked up at what Hunter was holding and prayed that Chris didn't recognize what was in her husband's hand. "I'll call you, ok?"

"Fuck it," Chris said shortly, turning away from her and heading for the door. "When you make up your mind and do what needs to be done, let me know... Until then, don't bother." He walked out the door and slammed it shut behind him, not looking back once. He headed for his rental car, and once he was inside, he did something he never did, _ever_...

He cried.

He didn't know why, but it just felt like things between him and Stephanie were over. What had happened? He didn't know and he couldn't understand, but it all hurt... Everything hurt...

Meanwhile, in the house, Stephanie looked over at the door Chris had just disappeared through. She wanted to follow him out and tell him that she _did_ love him. She wanted to tell him that she'd divorce Hunter right away, that she'd tell Hunter the _real _reason why she was leaving him... She wanted to tell him everything that she felt for him, all the different things he made her feel...

But she couldn't make herself move, because then she remembered what Hunter was holding in his hand at the top of the stairs.

"What just happened here? What was he talking about?" Hunter asked, coming down the stairs. "Why's he all pissed, and why were you in his arms?"

"We had an argument," Stephanie said absently. _What an understatement._

"You know what? That's not important right now," he said, holding up the object he held in his hand. "What's important is _this_. Exactly when the hell were you going to tell me that you're pregnant, huh?"

"I'm... I'm pregnant?" she asked, eyes getting wide. She snatched the test from him and looked at it. "No, it's... It's wrong."

"I looked at the box to see what the lines meant. You're pregnant, Stephanie... Why were you hiding this from me?" he demanded.

"I'm pregnant," she said to herself, completely ignoring him. "I'm going to have a baby."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her. "I'm your husband. I think I deserve to know that we're going to be parents."

_He thinks this is his?_ she thought, a wry laugh escaping from her mouth. "I'm pregnant," she said again, shaking her head. "How fucking ironic..."

"What are you talking about? Steph?" he asked, looking suspiciously at her. "What are you..."

But Stephanie didn't hear the rest of his sentence, because all of a sudden, her whole world went black...

**A/N: This chapter was hard to write...and I DON'T LIKE IT! Seriously! Well, at least we know she's pregnant, even though that was kind of obvious before... Read and review, please... I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up because life is really hectic right now...**


	27. It's Not Yours

**Chapter 27**

_**A hospital room in Greenwich, Connecticut...**_

Stephanie opened her eyes slowly, moving her head around slightly to take in her surroundings. She knew immediately that she was in a hospital, and instinctively her hand went to her still-flat abdomen. Everything that had happened with Chris rushed back to her, and in that instant came a sudden, bone-chilling fear. Oh God, what if she had somehow lost their baby?

"The baby's fine," came a familiar voice from next to her.

"Shane?" she asked, looking to her side. There her older brother sat with a concerned look on his face. She hadn't spoken to him in weeks, hadn't seen him in _months_, and normally they never went that long without seeing or speaking to each other. She guessed that she had been so busy sneaking around with Chris that she hadn't noticed how long she had gone without seeing her brother.

"I know, I know, long time, no see," he said with a smile. "I haven't seen you in months, baby sis, and now I find out that you're pregnant, that you and Hunter are expecting a child. _Now_ I know what's kept you from seeing me these past few months..."

"Where _is_ Hunter?" she asked, just out of the blue.

"He went to go get himself something to eat before he passed out. I had to literally force him to leave," he said with a chuckle. "He had been sitting next to you since you arrived, worrying about his wife and his baby."

"It's not... Shane?" she asked, reaching for his hand, tears suddenly filling her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned as he held her hand in his.

"I need to tell you something, and you can't tell _anyone_," she pleaded. "Not Mom or Dad, not Marissa, not _anyone_. Promise me."

"Sounds serious," he said, looking at her.

"It is," she said, not looking away from him. "I need for you to promise me."

"I promise," he said, observing her and how nervous she suddenly was. "Just spit it out."

"I'm pregnant," she said simply.

"I knew that," he said with a laugh. "Is that all?"

She took a deep breath. "Hunter's not the father."

He dropped her hand and stared at her. "Then who is?"

"I can't tell you just yet, but I love him, Shane, and I made him believe that I didn't," she said, tears creeping down her face. "I'm carrying his child and he doesn't even know it."

"You can tell me who he is," he said, taking her and again. "I won't judge you and I won't judge him... Who is he?"

"It's Chris, Shane, Chris Jericho," she whispered, suddenly beginning to sob uncontrollably. "I'm in love with Chris and I'm carrying his child, but Hunter probably thinks it's his and I love him, too, and... I don't know what to do!"

"Calm down, sis, there's a little baby inside of you and you're probably upsetting it by getting all worked up," he said, hugging her. He wiped her tears away, then spoke to her in a soft voice. "Chris Jericho, huh? I didn't even know you two were talking..."

"It... When Hunter and Trish started their storyline, Chris and I sort of became friends... He was there to comfort me when I needed him, and we... I can't explain it, Shane. but we became friends with benefits," she said with a sigh. "And then somewhere along the line, I fell for him...hard."

"So what were you talking about when you said you made him believe that you didn't love him?" he asked, confused.

"He came to see me on the day I found out I was pregnant..."

"Yesterday," he interrupted. "That happened yesterday afternoon."

"He came all the way from Florida just to see me because he couldn't survive without me," she whispered. "He wanted me to leave Hunter and instead, I practically told him that I couldn't leave Hunter yet because I didn't love him enough."

"Is it true?" he asked curiously.

"No, Shane... I'm _so_ in love with Chris," she said in a quiet voice. "I love Hunter, too, though, and even though he hurt me, I don't want to hurt him... But I need to be with Chris... I need him so much, and he doesn't even know it."

"Then why don't you _tell_ him?" he asked logically.

"I don't know, Shane, but God, I need him," she said with a sigh, putting her hand on her stomach again. "I need him and our baby needs him..." She looked up at Shane. "I _know_ that _you_ know everything, bro... What should I do?"

"I don't have all the answers, sis," he said, taking note of the look of sudden disappointment on her face. "All I can do is hope that you eventually do the right thing for your baby and for yourself...and for Chris."

"And what about Hunter?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know, sis. I don't have all the answers," he replied. "I just don't know..."

_**Tampa, Florida...**_

Trish leaned in the doorway of Chris's indoor gym, watching him as he punched a punching bag as hard as he possibly could. He'd been going at it for quite some time, just punching away. As a matter of fact, ever since he'd come back that morning, he'd been acting strangely. He hadn't said one word to her, not one, and that was very unlike him. She wanted to talk to him and ask him what was wrong, because something _had_ to be wrong for him to be acting this way, but she was actually afraid to approach him. He looked like he was about to snap, like maybe he would snap on her if she tried to figure out what was wrong with him.

Chris punched to punching bag one last time, then decided it was time to take a break. Or rather, his tired body was telling him that it was time for him to take a break. His arms felt like the were on fire, and he could barely catch his breath, but he welcomed the physical pain. He let the pain wash over him and he reveled in it, wanting more of it... It took his mind off of what had happened the day before... Well, temporarily, but it wasn't working anymore.

He had flown all the way to Connecticut just to see Stephanie, just to touch her, just to kiss her, just to stare into those eyes that he loved to stare into. His intentions had been to finally persuade her to leave Hunter, but he had failed miserably. Not only had she stayed with Hunter, she had questioned her love for him, for Chris...and that was what hurt the most.

He sat down on the weight bench and covered his face with his hands. It was all so frustrating, so painful. He wondered when she would call, but at the same time, if she _didn't_ call... He didn't know what she would do.

"Chris, what's wrong?" Trish asked finally. She had watched him sit down on the bench, and if she didn't know better, she'd think he was on the verge of crying or something. She sat down next to him and looked at him, concern etched across her face.

He felt her sit down next to him, but he didn't say anything. He hadn't said one word to he since he'd arrived back at the house earlier that morning, and he didn't plan to start taking to her now. He didn't want to say anything, because he just had this feeling that if he opened his mouth to speak, everything about what had happened with Stephanie would spill forth, and he wouldn't be able to stop it...

Just like he hadn't been able to stop himself from falling for her.

"Chrissy, sweetie, you can tell me what's wrong," Trish said, trying to reach out to him verbally. "We're friends now, and I'm here for you if you need to talk."

"I don't need to talk," he said. His voice sounded funny since he hadn't spoken in a while, and it was slightly muffled by his hands.

"You do. Listen to yourself," she said, reaching over to put her arm around him. "I dated you for a long time, Chris, and I can tell that something's wrong with you, sweetheart."

_Sweetheart_. Stephanie had called him sweetheart. He'd thought that little term of endearment meant something special, showed her love for him or something, but now? Now he didn't know anything.

"Chris?" Trish asked, rubbing his back comfortingly. "You can talk to me, you know that."

He looked up slowly, slowly meeting her eyes. His own eyes held unshed tears, and he felt embarrassed, _humiliated_, even. "I love her," he whispered softly. "I love her so much, Trish."

"But what's wrong with-"

"She doesn't love me back," he interrupted, his voice hoarse as one sole tear crept down his face. He didn't even attempt to wipe the tear away. He closed his eyes and saw Stephanie's face, and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest. "She doesn't love me back..."

"Oh, Chris," she whispered, wrapping both arms around him. "It'll be ok, I promise it'll be ok..."

"It'll never be ok," he whispered back in a choked voice, his head resting against her as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. He needed someone to hold onto, someone to hold _him_, to assure him that everything would be ok, that _he_ would be ok... "She'll never love me..."

Trish just kept her arms around him and mentally cursed this woman who had Chris Jericho literally falling apart in her arms...

_**The hospital room...**_

Stephanie and Shane were still sitting in the hospital room holding hands in complete and absolute silence when Hunter stepped quietly into the room. He observed the two siblings sitting together. He didn't know whether or not he should interrupt their little moment, but he wanted to talk to Stephanie. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, so many things that needed to be said, and he just couldn't hold it in anymore.

He didn't want to wait anymore.

"Shane," Hunter said, taking a few steps closer to the bed. "Mind if I have a second or two alone with Stephanie?"

"Be my guest," Shane said. "She's _your_ wife." Shane leaned down and kissed Stephanie lightly on the cheek, and Stephanie clutched his hand even tighter.

"I don't know what to do, Shaney," she whispered, using the name she had used for him back when they were little. She looked up at him with pleading eyes, looking so much like she used to look when she would beg him to sleep in her room because she was afraid of the monster in the closet. She looked so nervous, so scared... "Please don't leave me," she whispered.

"It's going to be ok," he whispered back, trying to pull away. "_You're_ going to be ok."

"No, I won't, not without _him_," she said, referring to Chris. "Don't..."

"You'll be fine," he said, standing up fully. It took all he had in him to pull away from her. The protective, brotherly part of him wanted to call Chris up and tell him everything that Stephanie had told him, but he had promised not to tell, and the sensible, adult part of him knew that he needed to honor his promise, and he would do just that. "I'm just one phone call away, sis. One phone call..."

Stephanie watched Shane disappear from the room and close the door, and then she just stared at the closed door. It reminded her of when Chris had walked out yesterday, how she had just let him go and didn't even try to stop him. She had stared at that closed door for a long time yesterday, before Hunter had brought her out of her trance and informed her of the results of her pregnancy test. She had been so shocked at that revelation, and even more shocked at the fact that it was Chris's baby and she knew it, and she wasn't upset at the fact that it wasn't Hunter's. That had been what had shocked her the most. It was almost like she didn't care that there was no way in hell that this baby was Hunter's, even though she kept telling herself that she had to care. She was pregnant with another man's child...

"What's on your mind, Stephanie?" Hunter asked, sitting down in the spot on the bed that Shane had just vacated. "You look like you just lost your best friend or something."

"I kind of did," she said with a sigh, not looking at him. "And my best lover, too," she muttered under her breath in a low voice.

But it wasn't low enough, because Hunter heard her.

"Best lover? What's that all about?" he asked curiously.

"You heard that?" she asked, finally looking at him.

"Yeah. What are you talking about?" he asked exasperatedly.

She took a deep breath. "Hunter, I have to tell you something," she said quietly.

He took a deep breath as well. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you, too, Steph, so if we're making confessions or something like that then I might as well get it all out now..."

"This baby, this baby is..."She closed her eyes for a minute before speaking again. "This baby isn't yours."

**A/N: Ok, this is totally off the topic, but am I the only one who saw John Cena slap the hell out of Triple H tonight on Raw? That was just classic! LMAO! His hair flew! Ha! And then the scene with Vince and Shane in the church. Geez, Vince is an idiot... Anyway, please read and review, this chapter came to me in Psychology class today...just like Chapter 25. Can everyone tell that I have a lot of free time in Psychology? LOL!**


	28. I'm The One

**Chapter 28**

_**One month later...**_

Trish looked over at Chris, who was sitting on the leather couch, deep in thought. She knew what he was thinking about. He was contemplating whether or not he should send Stephanie the letter he had written her. She felt so incredibly bad for him, for all the pain he was going through. He had confessed to her that his "mystery woman" was Stephanie, and for some odd reason, she hadn't been surprised. She _had_ been upset, though, as she had observed how sad and misty-eyed he got when he talked about her. She didn't know why Stephanie wouldn't just be with him, and it pained her to see him so broken up about her.

She hadn't mentioned to Chris the fact that Stephanie was pregnant. She was pretty sure now that it was Chris's baby, but she knew it wasn't her place to inform him of that. It was none of her business. She hadn't told Hunter that she knew who the father of Stephanie's baby was either, or that she knew that he _wasn't_ the baby's father. She wanted to tell him more than anything, to help him speed up with the divorce, but again she knew it wasn't her place to let the cat out of the bag, so to speak.

"I'm going to do it," Chris said, finally speaking after a long silence.

Trish didn't even have to ask what he was referring to. "Good for you, Chris. I'm glad that you're finally going to do it."

"It's the only way I can start to try do the impossible and get over her, by telling her how I feel," he reasoned. "I mean, she hurt me, Trish, and I loved her."

"Loved? As in, past tense?" she asked curiously.

He sighed. "Ok, I still love her, but you're not helping me here," he said with a slight, forced laugh. "You're supposed to make me hate her, abhor her, detest her..."

"Those all mean the same thing," she pointed out. "And you can't pretend that you don't love her. It's not healthy for you."

"And pining away for her is? Staying awake at night so I won't dream about her is healthy? How about feeling like bursting into tears at the mere mention of her name, is that healthy?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. "What kind of man does those things? What kind of man does that make me? I'm pathetic!"

"You're not pathetic," she said, going over and sitting next to him. "You're just a man in love... A man who has had the unfortunate luck to fall for a married woman."

"I guess you're right," he conceded, looking down at the envelope in his hands. "I don't regret falling for her, though, as crazy as that might sound. Those few months when she was mine were the best months of my life..."

"I should be offended by that, but for some reason, I'm not," she laughed. She looked down at the envelope in his hand. "So...how are you going to give that to her when she's not here anymore?"

"I'm not giving it directly to her."

"But you just said-"

"I'm giving it to Hunter," he interrupted smoothly. He stood up and stretched. "And since I don't know if I can refrain from kicking his ass if I get him alone, I need you to come with me."

"Um, I don't know about this," she said, biting her lip nervously. _I mean_, she thought to herself, _this is the man I love you're talking about here!_

"Come on, Trish, I _need_ you," he pleaded, holding out his hand to her. She placed her hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. He pouted almost comically as he looked at her. "Will you?"

She looked up into his eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, and she saw that behind his comic pouting, there was pain in those eyes. "Chris..."

"Shhh... Just say yes," he whispered, suddenly putting his arms around her fully and looking down into her eyes. If he didn't stare at her features too hard, he could almost imagine that she was Stephanie, not Trish, who was in his arms. He could almost believe it, he _could_ believe it, as he leaned down, his lips inching closer and closer to hers...

But at the last minute, his eyes took in a loose strand of her blonde hair, and his trance was broken as he realized that it _wasn't_ Stephanie. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, backing away slowly. "I... I'm sorry, Trish," he apologized. "I didn't mean to almost...um..."

"It's ok, Chris," she said, stepping closer to him. "I understand your pain. It's how I felt when..._he_...wouldn't be with me... So if you need me to comfort you in _any_ way, I'm here..." She kissed him on the neck softly, then started sucking lightly on it in that spot where she knew it made him shiver. If she could take his mind off of the fact that Stephanie wasn't with him, then maybe things would be better...

He closed his eyes, an image of Stephanie appearing immediately in his mind. He could feel hands touching him, and he imagined that they were Stephanie's hands that were traveling to the bottom of his shirt and lifting it up. He imagined that they were her hands as he felt Trish's nails lightly grazing over the taut skin of his muscular chest. His hand reached up to tangle in a mass of silky hair, and he imagined that it was Stephanie's hair as he pulled her head back and his lips came down on hers. He felt her wrap her arms around him and rub against him, and he growled a little, kissing her hard. He broke the kiss and his lips traveled to her neck as her hand went down to the front of his jeans and started rubbing him through the material.

"Stephanie..." It was a whispered moan from him, as he felt himself getting aroused. His lips found her ear, where he whispered into it. "Stephanie..."

"I'm not Stephanie, but I'll help you forget her."

He opened his eyes immediately at the sound of Trish's voice, disappointed that it hadn't really been Stephanie. He looked at Trish, who was standing there in his arms, panting lightly and giving him bedroom eyes. She looked so ready and willing to try to make him forget, but he knew that sleeping with Trish wouldn't do anything but cause complications. He knew deep inside that sleeping with Trish would do _nothing_ to help him forget Stephanie.

He would _never_ be able to forget Stephanie.

"Never mind. I'm going to be a man and give Hunter the letter by myself," he said after a minute. "You don't have to come with me... I can control myself and I'll be ok."

"I only wanted to help you forget. You know that, right?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I know," he said, walking over to the door. He opened it, then looked back at her. "Problem is, I _can't_ forget about her... But thanks for trying..."

Trish watched him disappear out of the room and sighed, taking a seat on the leather couch and closing her eyes. _I guess I was wrong_, she thought. _Sex can't solve everything... _But she was glad that he had turned her away, because he wasn't the man she wanted to be with. Hunter was...

Chris walked down the hallway, clutching the envelope tightly in his hand. Trish would never help him forget Stephanie. _No one_ could help him forget Stephanie because it just wasn't possible. He hadn't seen her in a month, and he hadn't talked to her either, but she had been constantly on his mind and in his thoughts and dreams for every single day of that month. If he closed his eyes right now, he would see her face, would remember how it looked when he was hovering over her in bed, or how her eyes looked when he was looking up at _her_ in the bed... He could hear her voice in his ears... This separation thing was killing him inside, killing him slowly... When would it ever stop? She was a... What was the name of that song? Yes, she was a slow poison, creeping slowly through his veins, taking over his mind... Toxic.

He reached his destination and looked up at the name on the door. How he detested this man, because this man had everything he wanted, including Stephanie's love... He closed his eyes and steeled his nerves, then knocked three times on the door...

"Come in!" Hunter called loudly from inside the locker room. He was sitting on the leather couch, going over the divorce papers Stephanie's lawyer had sent him. He wasn't mad or bitter about the divorce or about the fact that apparently, Stephanie was in love with another man. He was just a little upset over the fact that her baby wasn't his. They had talked when she was in the hospital, and she'd told him all about this guy she'd fallen for and whatnot. He didn't know who this guy was, and he didn't care to know. Only one thought ran through his mind.

He was almost free.

Everyone still thought that Hunter and Stephanie were a happily married couple, but it was all a facade, a sham. She had decided to divorce him, he had agreed, and everything was going smoothly. The only thing she wanted was for him to pretend to still be married to her for a little longer until the divorce was finalized, and then they would truly be over. It wasn't that long, because they both had the best lawyers around, and the divorce was going to be over much faster than the average divorce normally took. Of course he had agreed, and he hadn't told anyone, not even Trish.

He wanted to surprise her with the news.

Hunter looked up as Chris stepped into his locker room. He put all his papers up and then he stood up as well. "Jericho," he said in a gruff voice.

"Hunter," Chris replied.

"What do you want?" the taller man demanded.

"Look, I know you know that your wife and I are..._were_...friends for the past couple of months," Chris began. "And-"

"And now you're not. Care to tell me why?" Hunter interrupted.

"No," Chris said in a flat voice. "I just need for you to give her something important for me."

"Something like what?" Hunter asked curiously.

"This." Chris held out the envelope, which was a plain white letter envelope with Stephanie's name written in elegant cursive across the front. He handed the envelope to Hunter. "Don't open it, and don't tell her who gave it to you. Just give it to her, ok?"

"Fine," Hunter replied, unsure of exactly why he had agreed. Chris nodded and turned to leave, but Hunter stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"What?" Chris asked.

"You've been looking a little down lately, and I was wondering if something was up," Hunter said plainly.

"You don't even like me, Trips, so don't pretend to be all concerned," Chris said, shaking Hunter's hand off his shoulder.

"Doesn't matter if _I_ like you or not. Stephanie liked you..._loved_ you, even, so there must be something ok about you," Hunter said, observing his face at the mention of Stephanie's name. "Besides, I can spot a man in pain a mile away, and you? You're a man in pain."

"So I'm that transparent?" Chris asked with a sigh.

"As transparent as a transparency," Hunter cracked.

"Not funny," Chris said, rolling his eyes. "And as appealing as a heart to heart talk with _you_ of all people sounds, I think I'll pass. You're the _last_ person I'd talk to about my love life, the _last_." He turned and quickly headed for the door, but was stopped soon after by Hunter's amazed voice.

"It's you, isn't it?" Hunter asked, in awe. "You're the one, aren't you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chris asked, confused. "I'm the one for what?"

"It _is_ you. Why Jericho, I never thought you'd be the one," Hunter said, still amazed. "I mean, I did, but Trish told me you weren't and apparently I'm very easily convinced, but...you were... You _are_."

"Quit with all the vagueness man," Chris said, turning to glare at Hunter. "What are you blabbing about?"

Hunter walked over to him and stood there, glaring down at him. "You're the one who screwed around with my wife."

Chris's first instinct was to deny, deny, deny. After all, he was talking to Stephanie's _husband_ here... But he couldn't find it in himself to deny it anymore.

"Yeah, I'm the one," Chris said, not backing down. "What are you gonna do about it?"

**A/N: Let's recap this chapter! It's one month later and Steph and Chris still haven't talked. Trish is there for Chris and tries to comfort him the only way she knows how...but it doesn't work. Hunter and Steph have mutually agreed to get a divorce. Chris has a letter for Steph, which he asks Hunter to deliver, and then Hunter finally realizes that Chris is the guy who Stephanie fell for. Took him long enough, didn't it?**

**I don't know if it seems like it to you, but to me, this story seems to be winding down. Don't get me wrong, I just _love_ writing this story, but there's a set point I'm trying to get to, and I'm almost there! So expect for there to be a few more chapters, and then...it'll be the end... Don't forget to review!**


	29. The Broken Heart

**Chapter 29**

**Disclaimer: The poem "The Broken Heart" by John Donne belongs to...well, John Donne! So don't sue me, lovely readers!**

It was pretty late, and it was dark outside. Stars were splattered across the sky, and the moon was shining as brightly as ever. All was calm as everyone slept...everyone except Stephanie.

She sat outside upstairs on the balcony, holding her phone in her hand and looking up at the stars. She looked at her phone, seriously contemplating on whether or not she should send Chris an IM. She missed him so much, and she couldn't even tell him. She hadn't talked to him in an entire month, and it had been incredibly difficult for her to refrain from calling him and telling him. Here she was, seven weeks pregnant with his child, and she wasn't even talking to him. She doubted that he would even talk to her if she tried to contact him now.

She flipped her phone's screen up and opened the AIM application, and her heart started beating faster when she saw that Chris was online. He had his away message on, but she couldn't resist saying something to him...

_Stephy76: Hi... How are you?_

_cjrocks: AWAY Ever noticed how "love" and "pain" both have four letters?_

Stephanie sighed a little and wondered if he would write her back. Apparently he had his away message on. _I'll wait all night for him to write me back_, she thought, settling back fully in her chair to wait. She didn't expect for him to write her back, but if he did... Maybe she could breathe again. She would wait all night, really. She didn't have to wait very long, though.

_cjrocks: Why would you want to know how I am?_

_Stephy76: Because... I worry about you, ok?_

_cjrocks: You weren't worrying about me when you were stomping on my heart with spiked heels._

_Stephy76: I don't even wear spiked heels._

_cjrocks: Whatever. Did you look up Smoochy Dreams yet?_

_Stephy76: No, why?_

_cjrocks: Because, even after what you did, I'm still a Smoochy Dreamer...for now, anyway. Do this for me. Google "DCFanatic4life." Click on the link and read what's there, and then you'll know..._

_Stephy76: I'm surprised that you even replied to my IM. I know I hurt you, Chris..._

_cjrocks: Yeah, you did hurt me, and that's why I'm signing off now._

_Stephy76: Chris, don't go yet. I want to talk to you. I miss talking to you so much._

_cjrocks: How about you read that letter Hunter's giving you and then see how much you still want to talk to me._

_Stephy76: Hunter? Letter? What are you talking about._

_cjrocks: You'll see... Later._

_Stephy76: Before you go... Chris, I still love you..._

_**System Message: cjrocks is no longer online.**_

Stephanie sighed, wondering if he'd read what she'd said. She'd told him that she still loved him, but had he signed off _before_ or _after_ he got the message? She wanted him to know that she still loved him, but it had been dumb of her to tell him now. It could ruin her plans, every single one of them. She had to remind herself that she wanted to be a free, single woman the next time she told him just how much she loved him... Free to be with him and free to enjoy being pregnant with his baby...

She put on her away message, which simply read, "It'll all be worth it in the end." That was a message specifically for Chris, but she doubted that he would read it. After that, she opened her web browser and typed in "DCFanatic4life." When the results came up, she clicked on one of the first links she saw, which just happened to be the profile of an author named DCFanatic4life on a fan fiction site.

Just as she was about to start reading the contents of the profile, she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She turned around to find her soon to be ex-husband leaning in the doorway, and she raised her eyebrows.

"You're back early," she stated, standing up. "You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow."

"I know," Hunter said, standing up straight. "But I've come on a mission."

"A mission?" she repeated, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Someone you know asked me to give you this," he said, pulling out a white envelope. "I suggest you read it..."

"Who's it from?" she wanted to know, as she took the envelope from him.

"You'll see," he said vaguely. "Oh, and before I forget... I saw Jericho earlier today, and he looked so damn bad... What's up with him?"

"H-how would I know?" she asked, stuttering. "How does he look bad?"

"He just looks so sad..._heartbroken_, even," he said, looking for some kind of reaction from her. She looked so sad all of a sudden that he was almost sad that he'd mentioned it...almost. But from the look on her face, he knew that Chris had been telling the truth when they'd had their little talk earlier... When she didn't say anything else, he spoke again. "Well, I'm going to bed... I'm tired..."

"Goodnight," she said quietly.

"Night."

She watched him as he went into her bedroom, then went out the door and closed it softly behind him. They hadn't shared a bedroom in weeks now, and she was glad of that when she noticed who's handwriting it was on the front of the envelope. She would definitely be needing her privacy for this one, that much she knew. She considered staying out on the balcony, but she almost immediately decided against it. She didn't want whatever was in the envelope to fly away. If Chris had written it (and she was pretty sure that he had), it was going to be precious to her. If Chris had even _touched _it, it was going to be precious to her...

She sat down on her bed and opened the envelope. With shaking hands, she pulled out and unfolded two sheets of paper. When she unfolded the papers, a picture fell out, and she stared at it. It was a picture of her and him together. Where had they been? In a restaurant. She remembered that day clearly...

_**Flashback: Six weeks ago...**_

"Why are you looking at me?" Stephanie asked, looking across the table at Chris. He was staring at her intently, chin propped in his hand and head tilted to the side as he studied her.

"You're beautiful tonight, stunning, even," Chris said simply. "I can't seem to look away."

"Then take a picture already," she teased, blushing. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"But you're gorgeous," he insisted.

"Thank you," she said quietly, averting her eyes. She could still feel his eyes on her, and it was a bit unnerving.

"I can see that you don't like this, so I'll take your advice," he said, pulling out his phone.

"Advice? What advice?" she asked curiously.

"I'm going to take a picture of you," he told her.

"I don't want to take a picture," she said immediately, shaking her head.

"And why not?" he wanted to know.

"Because I feel fat and bloated," she said bluntly, placing her hand on her stomach. "That's why."

"Oh, come on, please?" he asked, pouting.

"I told you once before that I'd never be able to tell you no if you looked at me that way," she reminded him.

"I know. Why do you think I did it?" he laughed. She rolled her eyes playfully at him as the waiter walked up. "Excuse me," Chris said to the waiter. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Sure," the waiter agreed immediately. "What would that be?"

"Could you take a picture of the two if us for me?" Chris asked.

"Will do," the waiter said.

"Thanks." Chris handed him the phone, then beckoned Stephanie over. She stood up uncertainly and walked over to him, and he pulled her down into his lap and put his arms around her waist, one hand resting lightly on her stomach.

She placed her hand on his and entwined their fingers together, and then she leaned back to whisper into his ear. "You love it when I'm on top of you, don't you?"

"I love you _any_ way," he whispered back, smiling at her. He turned and winked at the waiter, and as soon as Stephanie leaned over to kiss Chris's cheek, the waiter snapped the picture. "Thanks," Chris told him, reaching for his phone. He looked down at the picture. "Aw, we look so good together."

"No, we don't," she disagreed, getting off his lap as the waiter walked away.

"What?"

"We don't just look good... We look _great_ together!"

"Forever," he said, suddenly serious. "We could look great together forever."

"Forever," she agreed. But when would forever begin?

_**End Flashback**_

Stephanie smiled a little as she looked at the picture, but it was a sad smile. The memories and emotions that this picture evoked in her made her want to cry, but she didn't. Instead, she set the picture aside and looked at the letter...

_Stephanie,_

_I don't even know where to begin with this. I've never had to do this before, not with anyone that I've dated... I don't know if that's because I've never loved a woman as much as I love you, or if it's because no woman has ever hurt me as much as your actions have. I would tell you that I love you a million times, I would prove it with my kisses, I would do anything and everything for you, and for some reason it just feels like it won't ever be enough. Maybe I won't ever be enough for you. Maybe Hunter has something that I don't have... I just can't understand. I thought everything was going perfectly for us. We were spending so much time together, getting closer than we'd ever been before. Whenever I told you that I loved you, you would say it back..._

_So what changed that day when I came to your house?_

_I don't know what changed or why it changed, but I do know that you... You've broken my heart. I don't think I'm capable of loving another woman, Steph, not after the way you hurt me. I was there for you from the beginning, that first night when you needed a man because your own husband wouldn't touch you. I held you in my arms, I made love to you tenderly... I kissed every inch of your beautiful skin... Do you remember? I made you feel wanted, remember? Every time you cried, I was there to wipe away your tears and to assure you that everything would be ok. Remember who was there for you when you needed somebody? That was me. Not Hunter. ME._

_Now I haven't seen you in a month, and with each passing day, my heart breaks a little more. You don't call me anymore... It's like you don't even care about me anymore, if you ever cared about me at all, which I'm seriously beginning to doubt. I think about you all the time, even when I don't want to, and every little thing reminds me of you. I'm a shell of who I once was. All I feel is numbness, because loving you? It just makes me numb. I feel numb all day, everyday, and it's all because of YOU. So now I've come to a decision, and I think it's my duty to tell you what that decision is._

_I can't live without you, Steph, and I've been stumbling around like a broken man for a month now, a whole month. Everyone wonders what's wrong with me, and I can't tell them what it is. The only one who I've confided in is Trish, and she's the one who's helping me get through this. She doesn't know what I've decided to do, no one knows... But you're about to know. You see, I can't keep living this way. It's too hard, being without you is too hard. Loving you and you not returning my love, it's breaking me. So here's what I've decided._

_From this point on, I'm stopping any and all contact with you. I won't try to call you, I won't email you or text you or IM you, and I can promise you that this will be my last letter to you. I know it's not possible, but I'm going to try my hardest to forget about you and everything I thought we shared. Was it easy for you to forget about me? Want to give me some pointers? Or am I not important enough?_

_Not good enough?_

_I'll never know, because now... Now, it's officially over between us. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, Stephanie, but it's killing me the way things are right now... So I'm going to just try to forget. Wish me luck..._

_Chris_

_P.S. I've attached a poem by one of my favorite poets, John Donne. Read it, it explains how I feel even better than I can explain it..._

Stephanie finished reading the letter, then put it down to look at the poem. She didn't know what to say, what _could_ she say? So he was just going to forget about her, just like that? This was putting a huge dent in her plans, but she didn't know how she could stop it. Instead of trying to figure it out, she started to read the poem he'd attached to the letter...

_The Broken Heart_

_He is stark mad, who ever says_

_That he hath been in love an hour,_

_Yet not that love so soon decays,_

_But that it can ten in less space devour;_

_Who will believe me, if I swear_

_That I have had the plague a year?_

_Who would not laugh at me, if I should say,_

_I saw a flask of powder burn a day?_

_Ah, what a trifle is a heart,_

_If once into love's hands it come!_

_All other griefs, allow a part_

_To other griefs, and ask themselves but some;_

_They come to us, but us Love draws,_

_He swallows us, and never chaws:_

_By him, as by chain'd shot, whole ranks do die,_

_He is the tyrant pike, our hearts the fry._

_If 'twere not so, what did become_

_Of my heart, when I first saw thee?_

_I brought a heart into the room,_

_But from the room, I carried none with me:_

_If it had gone to thee, I know_

_Mine would have taught thine heart to show_

_More pity unto me: but Love, alas,_

_At one first blow did shiver it as glass._

_Yet nothing can to nothing fall,_

_Nor any place can be empty quite,_

_Therefore I think my breast hath all_

_Those pieces still, though they be not unite;_

_And now as broken glasses show_

_A hundred lesser faces, so_

_My rags of heart can like, wish, and adore,_

_But after one such love, can love no more._

She put the poem down when the words began to swim before her eyes. So this was how she was making him feel... He had been right, this poem told her more about how he felt than his letter had, and now she felt pretty rotten. He didn't want to talk to her anymore, and could she blame him? She'd treated him so badly, but she had a reason, right?

Ok, not really.

She grabbed her phone and dialed his number from memory, then waited impatiently for him to answer it.

"Yeah?" he answered, yawning.

"Chris, it's me," she said.

"Stephanie?" he asked, wide awake.

"Yes, Stephanie. I'm sorry, Chris. I read the letter and I'm sorry for everything, and-"

"Don't call me because you pity me, ok? That's not cool."

"You just don't understand! But mark my words, Chris, you and I _will_ be together, we will. It's only a matter of time."

"What are you-"

"You'll find out soon enough. Just give me some time," she pleaded.

"I gave you time, and you took too long. I'm moving on...or trying to, anyway," he said loudly.

"You remember what you promised me?"

"What did I promise you?"

"That you would never let go... Remember when I made you promise me that?" she asked, hoping he remembered.

"I remember, but that's not valid anymore," he replied.

"What do you mean?" she demanded.

There was a short pause before he spoke again. "You let go first, Steph... Now there's nothing left for me to hold on to." And with that said, he ended the call.

She sat there and thought about what he'd told her. _So he thinks we have nothing left to hold on to, huh?_ she thought to herself, dialing another familiar number. _I'll show him..._

"Victor Cruz speaking."

"Vic, it's Stephanie."

"Oh, Mrs. McMahon-Helmsley," the man said, recognizing her voice. "It's kind of late, but what can I do for you?"

"First, you can drop the 'Helmsley' from my last name," she said. "And second, you can answer a question for me."

"Shoot, then."

"How long will it take for this divorce to be over with?"

"I told you, I'm going as fast as I can possibly go, ok? A month is the earliest I can say."

"Could you shorten that to two weeks for extra money?"

"I could try," he said. "But why are you rushing this anyway?"

"Because the man I love is slipping away from us, away from me and my baby," she answered quietly. "And I don't want to let him go. I don't want to hurt him again..."

His whole tone of voice changed. "There's a baby involved?"

"Yeah, I'm pregnant..."

"Give me two weeks."

**A/N: "I'll be your friend, and I'll think about you every time I step on something crunchy." I'm sorry, I was watching Kim Possible and Ron said that to this huge roach... Anyway, what do you all think of this chapter? I know it's a bit weird and jumps around a lot. I love that poem up there so much, but if you didn't understand it, I apologize... I read it in my AP Lit and Comp class and I've loved it since then and I just _knew_ I had to find a way to put it in a story... You guys know the routine, leave me a review and I'll love you all forever! Lol!**


	30. Used To Be

**Chapter 30**

**Disclaimer: The story "Hugs and Kisses" is written by THE best Jericho/Steph author EVER, DCFanatic4life (Nina). The song "Used To Be" belongs to Rich Ward (The Duke) and is on his kickass album, _My Kung Fu Is Good_. Great story and great song, so check them out when you get a chance!**

_He was watching her, and she was watching him. He hadn't laid eyes on her in almost two whole months, and he missed her with everything in him. He wanted to talk to her, to hear her voice, to just be able to share that closeness he'd shared with her not that long ago. The problem was, he didn't know how to approach her. That was rich, wasn't it? He'd made love to her, told her he loved her, shared so many meaningful moments with her, and now he didn't even know how to approach her._

_He watched as her brother walked over to her and embraced her. She looked over at him, then whispered something into his ear, gesturing in his direction. Soon after, she pulled away and walked out of the room, while her brother headed in his direction._

_"Chris," Shane said in a friendly tone._

_"Shane," Chris said suspiciously. "What do you want?"_

_"It's not about what I want, Chris, it's about what _you_ want," Shane said, smiling at him. "And I happen to know that you want my sister."_

_"Not anymore," Chris lied. "That's over now, all over..."_

_"She knows it, Chris, she knows that you want her," Shane went on, ignoring Chris's denial. "And she wants you, too..."_

_"She said that?"_

_"She said that."_

_"I don't believe you," Chris stated firmly. "I _can't_ believe you."_

_"She's waiting for you," Shane continued. "She's waiting for you in your locker room, and she needs you to meet her there."_

_"Don't play with me, Shane," Chris warned, grabbing Shane by the collar of his expensive shirt. "You McMahon's have a tendency of playing with me and taunting me, and Stephanie, she broke me once..."_

_"She won't wait forever, Chris. Go now," Shane urged, not disturbed by the fact that Chris was holding him by the collar of his shirt. "She needs you."_

_"Why do you keep saying that she needs me? What's wrong with her?" Chris demanded, letting him go. "Tell me!"_

_"She needs you," Shane said again, smiling lightly as he fixed his shirt. "She won't wait forever. She'll think you're rejecting her."_

_"Just like she rejected me? Why not give her a taste of her own medicine?" Chris asked. He walked away before Shane could answer._

I just need to clear my mind_, he thought as he began walking aimlessly through the hallways. He wondered if what Shane had said was true. Did Stephanie really want him back? _That doesn't matter_, he thought. _I'm not taking her back. She won't break my heart again...

_And yet, he still managed to find himself standing in front of his locker room a few moments later, one hand on the doorknob, wondering if she was really in there waiting on him, wanting him like Shane had said._

_There was only one way to find out..._

_He stepped into his locker room and closed the door. He looked around, but didn't see her. He sighed, disappointed, and sat down heavily on the couch, closing his eyes._

_"You thought I wasn't here, didn't you?"_

_He could feel her warm breath tickling his ear, could feel her lips brushing against his ear with every word she spoke, but he didn't say anything. This had to be a dream, it _had_ to be, and he didn't want to wake up... So he kept his eyes closed, and his mouth as well._

_"Chris," she whispered, brushing her lips over his cheek. "Say something..."_

_"What do you want me to say?" he asked, eyes still closed as he felt her straddling his lap. Instinctively, his hands went to her waist. "What do you want me to say?"_

_"Tell me that you love me," she said, cupping his face in her hands. "Open you eyes and see what's right in front of you, and tell me that you love me."_

_He opened his eyes and stared into hers. "I love you," he whispered._

_"I love you, too," she whispered back. "I never stopped loving you, even when I told you that I didn't. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, even Hunter... _Especially_ Hunter..."_

_"I never stopped loving you, either, Stephanie," he told her, pulling her to him and kissing her. "I love you so much..."_

Trish stood in the doorway of Chris's bedroom, shaking her head at the sad sight before her: Chris lying in bed, hugging a pillow and moaning Stephanie's name. "I never stopped loving you, either, Stephanie," she repeated, copying him in a mocking voice. She was so sick and tired of this.

It was the same thing every single night. He'd fall asleep and dream about Stephanie and he'd moan her name in his sleep. He'd asked her why she didn't love him, why she wouldn't let herself love him. Trish supposed that these were all questions that he wanted answers to, questions that he was too scared to ask Stephanie in real life... because maybe he was too scared to hear the answers.

She walked over to the bed, sat down, and touched his arm softly. "Chris, sweetie, wake up," she whispered, shaking his arm gently. "You're doing it again."

It took a while, but he finally snapped out of it and woke up. "What?" he asked irritably.

"You were doing it again," she said, knowing there was no need for her to say what "it" was. "I heard you from in the guest room."

"Sorry," he apologized quietly. "I know I should be moving on by now, but I can't stop dreaming about her. I guess somewhere deep inside, I keep hoping that maybe she'll change her mind and come back to me..." He looked away. "I know it's stupid. I'm stupid."

"No, you're not," she replied simply.

"Then tell me why I let myself fall for her in the first place," he demanded.

"Just for the same reason that I fell in love with her husband," she said, avoiding eye contact with him as she thought of Hunter. "Because I couldn't help it. Because you couldn't help it."

"You _love_ that bastard?" he asked incredulously.

"I do, and he's not a bastard," she answered, patting him lightly on the arm. "Now get some sleep. We're leaving for the airport in a few hours..."

"Alright... Sorry again," he apologized, watching her leave the room.

"Not a problem... Get some rest," she replied, shutting the door behind her as she made her exit.

Chris laid back down in the bed and looked up at the ceiling in the dark, thinking. This was the third time he'd had the same dream about Stephanie in just as many days, and he wondered if it was some kind of sign. After that weird phone call from a week before, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He could remember the phone call and everything she'd said about how they would end up together and how he shouldn't give up on them.

"I don't want to give up on us, Stephanie," he said aloud. "But, with the way things have been, what other choice do I have?"

He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't. "I don't even know why I try," he said with a sigh. He reached over and grabbed his phone. Opening the web browser, he went to his bookmarks and clicked on one of the links, the one that he knew would calm him down and help him fall into a calm, peaceful sleep...

_He opened the box slowly, not knowing what could possibly be inside. He looked inside, and the only thing in the box was a key. It looked to be an antique, and it had an intricate design on it. Jericho looked at Stephanie wondering why she had gotten him a key._

_"What's the key for, Steph?"_

_"Um, yeah, you know how you gave me my necklace," she said, holding up her necklace as a demonstration._

_"Yeah," he said, still mystified by her gift._

_"Well, I had to think of something as meaningful as this, because you said that this symbolized your heart."_

_"Uh-huh," he said nodding, still having no clue where this was going._

_"Well, that's to represent that you have the key to my heart," she said softly, her gaze dropping, as if she were embarrassed or something. Tears formed in Jericho's eyes against his will at the thought of such a heartfelt gift._

_"After Hunter broke my heart, when he humiliated me after I had stood by him for so long, I didn't want to give my heart to anyone, because they could so easily crush it like he did," Stephanie said, her gaze still on the ground. "But then you came along, and I don't know how, but you make me believe in happy endings Chris, and I wanted you to know that."_

Chris sighed again as he finished reading Chapter 34 of _Hugs and Kisses: The Beginning_. After he finished, he closed the web browser and gently set his phone back on the nightstand, then closed his eyes. He drifted off into a restless sleep soon after, wondering why his life couldn't be as perfect as it was in the story he'd been reading... Why couldn't he just have that happy ending?

_I don't know what the hell I'm saving anymore_

_Cause the emptiness and fear has left me crazy_

_Letting go of my faded smile and empty eyes_

_And the jealousy inside that kept me jaded_

It was the next night at Raw, and Chris was completely and totally miserable. He hadn't been able to sleep much the night before, because as soon as he had fallen asleep, he had dreamt of Stephanie again. The dreams, they seemed so real to him, so for the rest of the night, he had stayed up reading more fan fiction, wondering why his relationship with Stephanie couldn't be as perfect as it was in the stories he'd been reading...

"Jericho," came a gruff voice, a voice that Chris recognized without even having to look up.

"What's up, Hunter?" Chris asked, not bothering to look up. He didn't want to look into the face of the man that still had Stephanie by his side...

"Oh, nothing," Hunter said, trying to make Chris look up. "_We_ just wanted to stop by and say hi..."

_We?_ Chris looked up to see who the "we" in question was, and he immediately regretted his decision. Standing there leaning against Hunter was Stephanie. She looked... Hell, what words could he use to describe the way she looked? She was a sight for sore eyes, a sight that made him both happy and depressed at the same time. When his eyes met hers, a slow smile involuntarily began to spread across his face, because for one fleeting moment, it seemed like things were the way they'd been just a short while before. She looked as beautiful as ever, just as beautiful as she always had. The only word he could use to describe her was vibrant. It seemed like she was glowing, literally, and that could only mean that she was happy...happy without him. As he saw Hunter's grip tighten around her, his smile slowly faded, and he looked away quickly, trying to swallow the jealousy that he felt, that overwhelming jealousy that felt like it would choke him if he didn't get away.

"Nothing to say, buddy?" Hunter asked, enjoying the uncomfortable silence and the tension between his soon to be ex-wife and the father of her child. He wanted Stephanie to crack under the pressure, to admit to Chris that she was carrying his child and was in the process of a speedy divorce. He deserved to know, but Hunter wasn't going to be the one to tell him. Stephanie was going to be the one to tell him, and Hunter was going to make sure of that.

"Actually, no, I was... I was, uh, just leaving," Chris stammered, looking up again just as Hunter whispered something into Stephanie's ear, then kissed the top of her head affectionately. Thoroughly disgusted by the display of affection and even more jealous of the fact that Hunter and Stephanie seemed to be officially back together, he turned and rushed away, wanting to be anywhere but there with them...

Stephanie watched him go, then leaned her head against Hunter's solid chest, one tear slipping out of her eyes and rolling slowly down her face as she visualized how suddenly empty Chris's eyes had looked when his smile had faded...

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When everything was beautiful_

_You were there and I was sure_

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When anything was possible_

_Now all that was is dead and gone_

"Hey, now, why are you crying?" Hunter asked, as if he didn't already know.

"I... I miss it," Stephanie whispered, looking down to the end of the hallway as Chris turned the corner and disappeared from her view.

"What do you miss?" he wanted to know.

"The way it used to be," she said softly, wiping her tears away. If Chris had been the one she was leaning against, he would've wiped her tears away, or more accurately, he would've kissed her tears away, one by one. She wished it was Chris. It was always him in her dreams, without fail, and, she reminded herself, it would be him again in less than two weeks...

That was, _if_ he decided to take her back.

"Come on, we can go somewhere and talk about this," Hunter suggested, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Why would we talk?" she asked absently, biting her lip lightly.

"Because I'm your husband...or, I'm pretending to be your husband... Whatever," he said, confusing even himself. "I can just tell that you need to talk about something, so why don't we just go somewhere... My locker room?" She only nodded, and he placed one hand on her lower back as they walked down the hall, headed for his locker room.

"It was so beautiful," Stephanie said a few minutes later as she sat there on the leather couch. She leaned back and sighed, one hand on her stomach, gently rubbing it.

"What was beautiful?" Hunter asked curiously, observing her. She had this far away, almost nostalgic look in her eyes as she looked off into space. He had no doubts that she was thinking about times she had shared with Chris. Did she really think Hunter didn't know by now that Chris was her mystery man? That she was hopelessly in love with Chris and was pregnant with his child? If she honestly thought that he didn't know, then he would be forced to question her intelligence. But he wouldn't let on that he knew. He would let her admit it...

"What Chris and I used to have," she answered simply, still looking away. "He was there for me, he was my rock when things got rough with you... Our friendship was beautiful, _he_ was beautiful..." Her voice trailed off and there was silence before she spoke again. "And now we're not friends anymore, and now... Now I'm not so sure about anything."

"You know, I'm kind of curious as to why you two aren't friends anymore," he said, leaning back on the couch and looking intently at her. "I mean, you guys were damn near inseparable. You two went from hanging out all the time to... Well, to not even talking at all."

"I know." She looked down at her hands. I guess that's more my fault than his, though. I can't blame him for any of what happened. I mean, how long did I really expect for him to keep putting up with...with everything? No, I can't blame him..."

"What exactly happened? The last time I really saw you two together, he was, like, storming out of our house and then that was it," he said. "I'm confused about the whole situation. It's like he went from being around all the time to not being around at all."

"We had an argument," was all she said.

"Why?" he asked.

"We just did, ok?" she said, closing her eyes.

"But for you guys to stop hanging out, I mean, it must've been pretty serious," he said. He paused, looking at her face, contemplating on whether or not he should speak his mind. He'd said that he wouldn't say anything, wouldn't let on that he knew who her guy was, but he just couldn't close his big mouth... "Does he even know that you're carrying his child?"

_My reflection tells me all I need to know_

_And my grip is surely slipping from what is real_

_This infection has been here from the start_

_Now the darkness comes, looking for a soul to steal_

"How did you... What... What are you talking about?" Stephanie managed to ask, looking at Hunter with wide eyes. Had he really just asked her what she _thought _he'd just asked her? Or had she just imagined that he'd asked her if Chris knew that she was carrying his child?

"Stephanie, I know... I know about you and Chris," Hunter said, placing one hand on her knee. "I know that he's the one you were with, that guy you told me about when you were in the hospital and you told me that the baby you're carrying isn't mine..."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, looking away. "How could you suggest that Chris and I have ever been anything more than just friends?"

"Look, you don't have to cover it up anymore. It's all so obvious to me now," he said seriously. "Besides, he already admitted it when I talked to him a few days ago."

"You talked to him? What did he say?" she asked anxiously. "Did he say that he hates me or-"

"He doesn't hate you, Stephanie. He's more in love with you than ever. If he hates anyone, it's himself, because he doesn't know what it was about him that made you stay with me," he replied, cutting her off.

"I'm not staying with you. Our divorce will be finalized by the end of this week," she pointed out. "We'll no longer be married and I'm going to be with Chris."

"I know that," he replied, squeezing her leg lightly. "But Jericho? He doesn't know that, and he doesn't know that you love him... Maybe you ought to tell him before he does something crazy."

"I can't tell him yet," she said, getting to her feet. "I wanted to wait until everything was done with the divorce and then approach him."

"And you can do that," he agreed, nodding his head. "But Steph, you have to let him know that there's some kind of hope left or something. He loves you more than anything, and it's killing him, the way things are right now. Did you not see how empty his eyes looked when he left us in the hallway?"

"I saw," she said quietly. She looked down at her feet, then back at him. "I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll be back later."

"Don't rush. I have something to do anyway," he said with a small smile. "I won't even be in here." He watched her nod, then disappear from the room. A few minutes later, he got up and left the room as well, heading for Trish's locker room so he could talk to the woman he loved...

Meanwhile, Stephanie stepped into the bathroom and headed straight for the sink. She was still kind of shocked over what Hunter had said. He knew that this baby was Chris's? He knew that it had been Chris all along? More importantly, he'd talked to Chris and found out that he still loved her?

It was all so much to take in! She splashed some cold water on her face, then dried it and looked into the mirror, really looked. She _did_ love Chris, she did, and he should know that, but despite that, she still wanted to wait until the divorce was over with. She wanted to be able to give herself to him fully, not with a husband on the side. She was going to do this the right way... But looking at her reflection in the mirror, it was like she couldn't see herself. All she could see was the look on Chris's face when she'd told him that she didn't know if she was in love with him or not, and she could see the look on his face from earlier back in the hallway... He was hurting, and it was all her fault.

Hunter was right. She would have to let Chris know that there was hope for them, if only he could hold out for just a little longer...

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When everything was beautiful_

_You were there and I was sure_

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When anything was possible_

_Now all that was is dead and gone_

She was standing in front of his locker room, one hand poised to knock, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She was too nervous... Why was she nervous? It was just Chris, after all! _It's only the love of my life... It's only the man who was here for me when I needed him, the man that I hurt for absolutely no reason at all... What if Hunter was lying? What if Chris hates my guts?_ All the thoughts assaulted her mind at once, and it was so overwhelming that she had to lean against the door for a minute to gather her bearings...

And at that moment, the door swung open.

Stephanie felt herself falling as the door opened, and she instinctively tried to protect her stomach... She closed her eyes and actually tried to prepare herself for falling, tried to think of a way she could fall without landing on her stomach, tried to prepare for the inevitable pain...

Only, she never hit the floor, because Chris was there to catch her.

Just like always.

_Will you miss me when I'm gone?_

_When all that's left are the memories_

_Of the way it could have been_

_And the way it should have been_

_And the way it used to be_

"Ste..." Chris couldn't even get her name out. He was just so shocked at the fact that she was in his arms. "What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"I need to talk to you," Stephanie answered, looking up into his eyes as he clutched her tightly. She held on to him tightly as well as she stared into those mesmerizing eyes of his, those ones that she could so easily get lost in. "Um, thanks for catching me."

"Yeah, whatever," he answered, helping her stand up straight again and letting her go, even though he didn't want to let her go. "What did you need to say to me?"

"Hunter told me that he talked to you the other day," she began.

"What's it to you? Are you mad that I told him I was the one?" he asked, frowning a little. "Are you mad because I told him what's been going on with us...or rather, what happened between us over these past few months, because there's no us now. All that's left of us now are memories... Good memories, but they're just memories."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," she said, still holding on to him. She didn't want to let him go. "I-"

"What? You miss me now?" he asked, interrupting her. "Are you here to tell me that you miss me, now that you see what it's like without me? Now that you see what it's like when I'm gone?"

"I _do_ miss you," she said quietly, looking down. "I miss you so much, Chris, and I just wanted you to know that there's still hope for us..."

"There's not even an 'us' anymore, Steph. You and Hunter are obviously back together again," he said, spitting the words out like they tasted nasty, and to him, they did. "Like I said before, all we have now are memories of the way things were..."

"The way things still _can_ be, Chris, if you just wait a little longer for me," she cut in, looking into his eyes. "I know I said some things, ok? But something's going on right now, something that you don't know about yet... And I can't tell you what that is right now, but it's-"

"Whatever it is, it's not going to make us the way we used to be, is it?" he asked, cutting her off. He didn't wait for her to speak again. "It's never going to be the way it was before. I've realized that now..."

"You don't know what you're talking about," she said, one hand still holding on to him. "I know that you're hurting, Chris, but I promise, things can go back to the way they were before, you'll see..."

"They won't, because you and I? We're through," he said shortly, turning and beginning to walk away.

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When everything was beautiful_

_You were there and I was sure_

_I miss the way I used to feel_

_When anything was possible_

_Now all that was is dead and gone_

She watched him walk away for a second before going after him. "And just where do you think you're going, Jericho?" she demanded, grabbing his arm when she caught up with him. "Gonna walk away from me again?"

"Why not, huh?" he asked, masking his shock over the fact that she'd come after him this time. "There's no reason for me to stay here."

She closed her eyes and cursed under her breath for a minute, then opened her eyes and looked at him. "There are a lot of reasons you should stay here. As a matter of fact, there are two really big ones that I could name right now that would knock your socks off... But I can't tell you what those reasons are just yet."

"Then how do you expect for me to stay?" he asked logically.

"I just need you to trust me," she answered in a low voice. "Just trust me, because without you in my life, Chris, I'm not sure about anything, ok? When I had you, everything was great, everything was beautiful...and now? I just..." Her voice trailed off as she stepped closer and put her arms around him. "Just trust me for now," she pleaded.

"I would've, Steph, a couple of weeks ago, I would've trusted you without question, but look where that got me. Look what you've done to me," he whispered as his arms pulled her closer. "You hurt me, you rejected me, and it's like now whatever we had is just...dead."

"If it's so dead, why are your arms around me? Why are you holding me?" she whispered back. "Why are you going to let me kiss you?"

"I'm not," he said, but he didn't sound very convincing.

She kissed him lightly, and she felt him kiss her back. It was difficult for her to pull back when she wanted him so much, but she managed to break the kiss and pull back to stare into his eyes. "Meet me next week on Raw, ok? I have something important to tell you..." He didn't say anything, just stood there looking at her, and she pulled away from him and walked away without another word.

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When everything was beautiful_

_You were there and I was sure_

_I miss the way it used to be_

_When everything was beautiful_

_Now all that was is dead and gone_

Chris opened the door to Trish's locker room and walked inside. He shut the door behind him and sat down in a steel chair, staring at nothing in particular, thinking about what had just happened. What was he supposed to do? He wanted to be with her, he did, but what if she was just going to do what she'd done to him before? What if she was going to play with his emotions and make him believe that she loved him, only to tell him otherwise a few months later? And besides, wasn't she back with her _husband_ now?

"Chris... I didn't know you were in here," Trish said, coming into the room. He looked up at her with an expression on his face that gave her the sense that he was completely lost. She walked over to him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"What do you think? It's Stephanie," he replied, putting his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do about her. I talked to her and-"

"You talked to her?" she interrupted. "When did that happen?"

"She came looking for me a little while ago. I opened the door and she literally fell into my arms," he recalled. "She started going on and on about how she missed the way things were between us and how if I can just wait a little longer then we can be together."

"She said all that?" she asked, smiling widely.

"Yeah," he said, looking up. "What are you smiling for? Do you know something I don't know?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," she said mysteriously. "Now what happened?"

"She basically asked me to meet her next week on Raw, but Trish, I don't know if I can," he said, raking his fingers through his hair.

"And why can't you?" she demanded. "This is what you've been dreaming about! This is what you've been waiting for."

"It is, but reality can never compare to dreams," he said, sounding a little sad. "And that's why... That's why I'm not going to meet her next week. I can't let her break me again."

"You're not making any sense at all, Chris Jericho. You love her and you are _going_ to meet her next week, do you hear me?" she asked him in a completely serious tone. He looked surprised, and she raised one eyebrow. "Do you hear me?"

"I hear you," he agreed finally. He sighed and sat back in the chair. "So I'm meeting her next week, a week from tonight."

"That's right," she said, smiling again. "And maybe you'll get that happy ending you've been dreaming about..."

"Yeah, right," he mumbled under his breath, but he couldn't help but wonder if she was right. Was it possible? Could he have that so-called "happy ending" with Stephanie?

He'd just have to find out next Monday night...

**A/N: Not pleased with this chapter at all... It's pretty long, isn't it? I liked the beginning, the part that had part of HaK in it (because that's just an amazing story), but the rest of it? Eh, it could've been better. Perhaps I shouldn't have included "Used To Be" in this chapter. It all worked out so perfectly in my mind and then when I started typing it, I got lost, LOL! Please review anyway, though, this thing almost has a hundred reviews! Also, to give you guys a heads up, I think this story will be ending pretty soon...maybe in the next chapter, which I have NO idea when it'll be up...**


	31. Sometimes It Comes True

**Chapter 31**

"Will you calm the hell down already?" Trish asked Chris in an irritated voice.

"How am I supposed to calm down? I'm supposed to be meeting Stephanie tomorrow!" Chris said, still pacing nervously back and forth across the room. "Think about it. This time tomorrow, I will be with Stephanie, and she'll be telling me something that could either make me or break me..."

"I understand that you're nervous, but you're, like, really wearing the carpet down," she said with a slight roll of her eyes. "And besides, I'm sure whatever she has to tell you won't be something that's going to break you."

"How would you know? She's broken me once before," he reminded her.

"True, but didn't she say that you guys could be together if you just waited a little longer?" she countered.

"Well, yeah, she _did_ say that, but I've been waiting for her for so long now," he said, collapsing on the chair and closing his eyes. "I don't know if she wants to be with me or not, and it... It hurts."

"She kissed you. Obviously she wants to be with you," she remarked.

"Yeah? We did a lot of other things besides just kissing, and look where that got me," he said, opening his eyes and fixing her with a piercing gaze. "It got me here, to the point where it feels like I'm just fading away, like without her, I'm nothing. Do you know how that feels, Trish? To become so dependent on someone that it feels like you just can't live without that person? That nothing's worth saving if you can't save your relationship with that person? Because that's how it feels to be without Stephanie..."

"I'm sorry, Chris," she said quietly after a minute, looking away. "This is all my fault."

"It's not your fault," he said, looking away as well.

"Yes, it's my fault. If I hadn't been so intent on getting Hunter so that I'd be able to execute my plan, none of this would've ever happened," she argued. "Hunter never would've cheated on Stephanie, and Stephanie never would've been driven into your arms..."

"It would've happened whether or not you and Hunter had cheated together," he said, thinking of Stephanie. "I didn't know it, but it was only a matter of time before Steph and I really found each other... And I love her so much that I feel like we would've found our way to each other regardless of whether or not you and Hunter had been together..."

"I never did apologize for that, though, the whole fiasco with me and Hunter," she said, looking back at him. "So... I just want to say that I'm sorry. I know it's a little too late for that, but I think-"

"Don't apologize for it. Your infidelity led Stephanie to me... You should _never_ be sorry for that, no matter what happens with Stephanie and me in the future. I love her so much...and I'm really glad that she was mine, even if it was only for a little while. Even if she never loves me again... It'll hurt, but I think I'll live, when I think of the way it used to be with her..."

She observed his face, noticing the unshed tears in his eyes. "Don't tell me you're about to cry, Jericho?" she said in disbelief.

"Hey, guys can cry... Just not in front of other guys," he said with a laugh, wiping the tears that were involuntarily leaking from his eyes. He cleared his throat before he spoke again. "Seriously, though, Trish... What if it doesn't work out? What if she's meeting with me to tell me that she's back with Hunter for good? What if..."

"Ok, I can't listen to this anymore," she interrupted. "I hate to see what this is all doing to you...especially since it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. I've been talking to Hunter, and while I can't tell you everything that he's told me, I _can_ tell you this... It's not going to be something that you expected. You are going to be _so_ surprised..."

"Wait a minute, so you _know_ what's going on?" he asked incredulously.

"I know some..._stuff_," she said noncommittally. "But that _stuff_ is for Stephanie to tell you, not me... It's her news, not mine."

"News? What news?" he asked nervously.

"You'll find out when she tells you," she replied, standing up. "For now, I guess you'll just have to wait. I'm going to go take a shower, and then I'm going out for a few drinks."

"Trish? Wait, Trish, I want to know!" he exclaimed. "Tell me!"

"You'll find out soon enough, and then you'll be glad I didn't tell you," she called over her shoulder, right before she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door.

He sat back down in the chair and sighed heavily. Now all he could do was wait.

**Stephanie and Hunter's hotel room...**

"Hey Steph, look what just arrived at the door," Hunter said excitedly, walking into the room and holding out a manila envelope. "Some kind of special delivery... I wonder what it could be, arriving at our hotel room on a Sunday, no less..."

"You know what that is! Give it to me!" Stephanie exclaimed, reaching for the envelope.

He just smiled, holding it up out of her reach, taunting her. "I don't know... I mean, _anything_ could be in here... How do you know that there's something important in here? It could just be...copies of your old school report cards or something."

"Stop being an asshole. I don't have time to waste," she said impatiently, getting up and walking over to him. She snatched the envelope out of his hand and started to walk back over to the bed, but he put an arm around her and pulled her firmly against him.

"Hold on, Steph," he said seriously, all joking aside. "There are some things I need to say before you open that envelope. We both know what's in there, and we both know what it means once we open it... So I better say all this now before, well, before we're over..."

"Speak, then," she said, kind of appalled by his behavior.

He led her over to the bed and gestured for her to sit down, and then he knelt in front of her, holding her hands in his. "Steph, when we first got married, my goals were simple. I wanted to live up to your expectations, to make you happy, to build a life with you..."

"The only real expectation I had of you was that you would love me," she interrupted. "That's what I wanted."

"And I _did_ love you... I _do_ love you," he replied, squeezing her hand lightly. "I was going to be the most faithful husband, because you were the love of my life, the only person that I could see myself with. And then Trish came along that night and...you know what happened that night."

"Yeah. Risky sex on the hood of the rental in the parking garage. Spare me the details," she muttered, rolling her eyes at the thought.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But as time went on, it became more than that. Trish, she became more than just my...what could I call her? Co-conspirator?"

"Fuck buddy?" she suggested, trying to sound snide, but she couldn't.

"She was more than that," he said, looking away. "I guess that's what we started out as, but somewhere along the line, I fell for her, and I told her. She didn't want to acknowledge my feelings for her or her feelings for me, and when she finally did, I decided to end it with her."

"Why would you end it with her when she started to acknowledge your feelings? And her feelings?" she wondered.

"Because she told me that she'd been using me, and I realized how much I'd been hurting you," he said quietly. "This whole thing is my fault. I mean, I was an idiot. I wouldn't even touch you for months... I drove you into the arms of Chris Jericho..."

"And I'm glad you did," she said, smiling a little. "This past year or so has been completely crazy, and there have been times where the pain and hurt were just _way_ too much for any one person to bear, but all of that led me straight to Chris... To be honest, I'd go through all that shit times ten, just to get the chance to be with Chris again."

"Wow... Now _that's_ love," he said, smiling a little at her. "You are _so_ in love with him... I don't even know why I didn't see it before."

"I didn't see it for a while, either, and when I did, it scared me," she admitted. "I knew that I loved him, but I was ashamed to tell him, ashamed to admit that I failed at something."

"What did you fail at?" he asked curiously.

Her answer was simple. "Our marriage. It fell apart and...that was my fault."

"Our marriage falling apart wasn't your fault," he argued. "So stop saying that it was. We fell for other people, and that's all that we can really say."

She smiled a little again and nodded. "Yeah, you're right... So what did you want to tell me?"

"I feel like I owe it to you to say that... If, for some unknown reason, Jericho-"

"Chris," she cut in. "Call him Chris."

"Right, Chris," he said with a slight smirk. "Anyway, if he decides not to take you back, which will be impossible, especially when he finds out about the baby... If he decides not to take you back, I'm willing to give up my future with Trish and stay with you."

"But we're already divorced, if this envelope contains what we think it contains," she pointed out.

"And we can always just get remarried. It happens all the time, because marriage is really fickle these days," he replied, squeezing her hand again. "In fact, I could just stay with you and we can be a couple..."

"A couple of what? Two people in love with two different people?" she asked, one eyebrow raised. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"Hey, can't say I never offered," he said, standing up straight. "And you definitely can't say that I was a selfish asshole or something."

"You sure about that?" she joked.

"Hey, that offends me," he said with mock anger. He looked down at the envelope, then back at her. "Open it, Steph, and tell me that it says what we want it to say..."

"Ok." Her hands shook a little as she opened the envelope, and she looked inside for a moment before looking back up at him. "This is it. We're...done."

"Wow, just like that..." He'd known what it was and he still couldn't quite believe it.

"I guess I won't be needing this anymore," she said softly, reaching down to take off her ring. She held it in her hand and looked at it, then held it out to him.

"No. Keep it," he told her. "It'll help you remember the good times we had..."

"I guess..."

"Well, did you need me to stay? Because I planned to go out with Trish and tell her the news...but if you need me..." His voice trailed off.

"I'll be fine," she said shortly.

"Gonna call Chris tonight?" he wanted to know.

"No, I'll talk with him tomorrow," she answered, looking down at her hands.

"Tomorrow? What are you _waiting_ for, Steph?" he asked incredulously. "We're divorced, we're not together, you're free to be with him without facing any repercussions... So why don't you just go tell him everything?"

"Because I told him I'd meet him tomorrow on Raw," she replied with a sigh. "And that's when we'll meet, tomorrow, no matter what you say."

"Ok, well since I can't persuade you..."

"You can't."

"I'm going to be going." He looked at her and pulled her to her feet. "I love you, Steph, and this will sound really bad but I'm glad you decided to file for a divorce... I was too much of a wimp to do it myself."

"I wouldn't call you a wimp. I know why you didn't do it," she replied. "So this is goodbye?"

"We work together. This isn't goodbye," he said with a laugh. "As a matter of fact, I'll probably see you tomorrow on Raw."

"Yeah, probably," she said, laughing as well. "Now isn't Trish waiting for you?"

"We're meeting at a bar a few blocks away, so she probably is." He hugged her, then kissed her on the cheek and whispered into her ear. "Go get with Jericho."

"Chris," she whispered back. "And Hunter? I love you, too..."

She watched him go, then sat down on the edge of the bed and twirled her ring around, just looking at it. So this was what it all came down to. It was over now, and now she could be with Chris...

Now the question was, would she call him tonight or wait until Raw to confront him?

**A few hours later...**

_"I'm sorry, but we couldn't save your baby," the doctor told Stephanie, looking sadly at her. "We tried everything, but nothing worked..."_

_"What do you mean, you couldn't save my baby? What happened?" Stephanie asked, looking around frantically._

_"You had a miscarriage... There was nothing we could do," the doctor said solemnly. "The injuries from the car accident were too severe. It's a wonder that you even survived."_

_Stephanie closed her eyes as she felt the tears coming. "And where's Chris?"_

_"Who's Chris?" the doctor wanted to know. "Is he the man who was in the car with you?"_

_"Yes... He's the baby's father," she replied._

_"We lost him, too..."_

Stephanie sat straight up in bed, feeling her stomach. She looked around the room. It was completely dark and no lights were on, so she couldn't see much. She guessed that she must've fallen asleep shortly after Hunter had left, and she just hadn't bothered to get comfortable in the bed.

"Where did that dream come from?" she asked herself aloud, rubbing her stomach lightly. She didn't feel any pain or anything, so she guessed that it _had_ been a dream... But wait, what if something was wrong with Chris?

The lamp on the bedside table was on before she knew what she was doing, and her cell phone was in her hands in a matter of seconds. She dialed his number quickly and waited, praying that he'd answer.

"Yeah?" he answered groggily.

"I need to see you," she said right away. "I need you to come to my room right now."

"Steph?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, it's me, now could you please come over?" she pleaded.

"We're supposed to meet on Raw, remember?" he reminded her.

"I know, but something happened and I can't wait anymore," she said, sniffling a little. "I had a really bad dream, too, and it scared me and I thought you were dead... Please, Chris, I need to know that you're ok."

"Well, you're talking to me, aren't you?" he asked logically.

"Yes, but I really need to see you," she said, pleading to the point where she was almost begging. "Come over, ok? I... I need you."

"Whatever, Steph," he said, and before she could say anything else, he ended the call.

_He's not coming,_ she thought sadly, wrapping her arms around herself. _He's not coming..._

Chris may have acted nonchalant and a little uncaring on the phone, but he felt anything _but_ that. He dressed hurriedly, and in record time, he was out the door and in the hall. He had no idea where the hell her room was, but he knew that he was going to find it, because she needed him. That was all that he could think of. Never mind the fact that she'd hurt him. The only think that he could think about was that little four letter word, need. She _needed_ him.

He thought about knocking on every single door on every floor just to find her, but then he remembered what time it was and decided that the logical thing to do would be to go down to the front desk and just ask. He waited for an elevator, and when the doors opened, his eyes widened in surprise at the couple that stepped out in front of him.

"Chris, are you going to be in the room tonight?" Trish asked him as he just stood there looking at them.

"Um, no, actually, I was headed down to the front desk," Chris replied, then turned to Hunter. "But maybe you could help me. See, I-"

"Before you say whatever you needed to say, I think you need this," Hunter interrupted, pulling out a cardkey. "Steph is too much of a chicken to call you and tell you how she feels, but I suggest you go up to our room and confront her. She has some things to tell you that'll change your whole perspective on all this shit that's been happening lately."

"Done with the speech?" Chris asked, taking the cardkey from him. Hunter nodded and told him the room Stephanie was in. "Thanks," he said, then stepped quickly into the elevator and waited patiently for it to go up...

Stephanie sat there on the bed holding herself, silent tears streaming down her face. She couldn't stop the tears from coming, because Chris... He wasn't coming. She heard the door open, and she quickly dried her eyes. "That you, Hunter?"

The door closed, and Chris hurried into the room and over to her. "Steph, are you ok?" he asked worriedly. How many times had he told himself that he would resist her, that he would turn her away if she called him? _Enough_, he thought as he took a few steps closer to her. He'd told himself so many times that he wouldn't go back to her if she called, but she'd called, and despite everything he'd said before, he was there. Where else would he be? He loved her, and there was no way he could just stay away when she called.

"Chris," she breathed, rushing over to meet him. It had only been a few days since she'd last hugged him, but it had been two _months_ since she'd really felt him this way and let him hold her this way. She knew what she'd told him and she knew what he needed to hear, but she didn't care for the moment. She just had to feel him, to prove to herself that the dream she'd had, had really been just a dream.

"I know something's wrong," he said, surprised that she had walked over to him and put her arms around him. Instinctively, he put his arms around her and pulled her closer, holding her against him, where it all felt so right. When he felt her tears wetting his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her a little more securely and just held her. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I needed to know that you were ok. I need _you_," she whispered, starting to run her fingers through his silky hair, this hair she hadn't touched in what seemed to be a lifetime. "Chris, I need you so much..."

"You know, what about when I needed _you_, Steph?" he asked, frowning slightly and pulling back a little. "What about when I was hurt, or when I was scared and I needed you?"

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'm sorry I ended _us_, I'm sorry for all of it. But I need you now more than I ever have... I've missed you and I need you." She was babbling and she knew it, but she couldn't stop, because he was there. He had come to her despite the way she had ended things with him. His appearance alone was like a miracle to her, and it provided her with the hope that maybe he would see things her way...

"So you need me," he said, and despite the promise he'd made to himself concerning his relationship with her, he smiled a little and pulled her closer. He'd dumped Trish for her, and he hadn't been able to get this woman out of his mind. He knew she didn't love him, because she'd basically told him that on that fateful day two months ago. He knew that she loved her husband, and even though it was a painful thought, he knew that she had only been with him for the sex. That's how it had all started, so what else could he have expected? _I know I should feel used, but it's not her fault that I fell in love with her... She never mentioned love that night when she stepped into my shower..._

"Chris, did you hear me?" Stephanie asked anxiously.

From the look on her face, she had just said something really important, and he had been too zoned out to hear it. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" he asked.

"I said Hunter and I are through. We've decided to end our farce of a marriage," she said in a low voice.

"Farce?" he repeated, and she nodded. "But you love him."

"Yeah, I did... I _do_," she said, and a few more tears escaped from her eyes. "In the beginning, I loved him, and when he cheated on me with Trish, I _still_ loved him. I was one lovesick fool... But he told me that he's in love with Trish, and that's who he wants to be with..."

"And you're ok with that?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I'm perfectly fine with that," she confirmed, and she hugged him. "Because I've got you... I want to be with you."

"So what are you saying to me, Steph?" he asked, hugging her back. Inside, he was jumping for joy, but he knew that he shouldn't get elated yet... There was probably a catch somewhere.

"I'm saying that I want to be with you, Chris," she said simply, resting her head on his shoulder. "I want to be with you, I want to be everything with you..."

"I don't know how that's going to be possible...unless you can grow to love me," he said, feeling a little upset. He would take her back, but he wouldn't be the only one to have real feelings in their relationship, or things would never work out between them.

"I can't do that," she said immediately.

He pulled away and looked hard at her, holding both her hands in his. "Why not, Steph? Can't you somehow picture yourself falling in love with me and-"

"No," she interrupted. "I...no."

He dropped her hands and sighed. Was this what she'd called him here for? To get his hopes up again, then dash them? "Then as much as I want to be with you... I just can't, not if I'm the only one who has any true feelings in this relationship." He turned and headed for the door.

"I never said that!" she called after him, but he kept walking. She couldn't lose him again. She had to tell him. "Chris, I can't _grow _to love you because I _already_ love you!"

He turned around to look at her, his heart in his throat. Had she really just said those words he had dreamed of her saying once again, and had she really _meant _them this time? He walked back over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, holding her out at arm's length. "Tell me again," he ordered, almost exactly like that first time she'd ever told him. "Please."

She looked into his eyes. "I love you," she whispered. "I've loved you for a while now, and I was completely sincere when I told you that the first time...and all those other times after that."

"So what happened? Why did you suddenly just change your mind two months ago?" he wanted to know.

She sighed a little, thinking about that day when she'd...well, broken his heart. "I was being too stubborn, I guess. I wasn't ready to tell Hunter... I didn't want to admit that I had fallen for you while I was still married to him...but now I don't have that problem, do I?"

"So you love me?" he asked her quietly.

"I do," she whispered, caressing his face lightly. "I love you so much, Chris..."

"God, Steph, I love you, too," he whispered back, and he pulled her to him and kissed her. He was the happiest man alive, it seemed, and he wanted to tell her. "Do you know how happy you've made me?" he asked breathlessly.

"It gets better," she said, staring at him nervously. She had already known how he was going to take the news of her loving him, but this other news... He might not like it very much. "Or worse, depending on how you take it..."

"I don't think that's possible," he said, smiling at her. "But go on. What were you going to say?"

She said nothing. Instead, she took his hand and placed it over her stomach, then looked up into his eyes, hoping that he understood what she was trying to tell him.

"What are you trying to tell me?" he asked, looking at her with wide eyes.

"You're going to be a dad," she said in a tiny voice. She closed her eyes and waited for his explosion of anger, and when it didn't come, she opened her eyes again and looked warily at him. He was just staring blankly at her, mouth agape. "Chris, are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm going to be a _dad_?" he asked in disbelief, removing his hand from her stomach and running it nervously through his hair. "You mean you're _pregnant_?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Remember all those times I was sick and I said it was a stomach bug?" She paused and he nodded. "Well... It turns out that it wasn't a stomach bug... I'm almost two and a half months pregnant. You and I are going to be parents in a couple of months."

"Wow, Steph, I don't know what to say," he said, looking away. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. "I mean, wow, this is big news to spring on a happy man. Are you trying to kill me with joy or something?"

"So...you're happy about this baby then?" she asked curiously, instinctively putting a hand to her stomach. She had been prepared to brave out this pregnancy alone if he had decided not to take her back. This baby, this little bundle of life inside her, meant everything to her, because it was a part of her and the man she loved... But if he accepted the baby, well that was ten times better!

He looked at her with that same look of disbelief on his face. "How could I be anything other than happy? Steph, I'm ecstatic and proud and excited all at once! This baby is a symbol of our love and passion..." He kneeled down on one knee and got eye-level with her stomach. He lifted her shirt up and pressed his lips against her still-flat stomach, then pulled back to speak, lips brushing against her skin with every word. "Hi there, baby. It's your daddy. How's it going in your mommy's stomach?" He pressed his ear against her stomach as if waiting for the baby to speak, and he looked up at Stephanie with a smile on his face. He had a feeling that he was going to enjoy being a parent, and he was going to enjoy sharing parenthood with Stephanie...

She pulled him back up and leaned on him, just because she missed being able to touch him, to feel him. "I didn't know how you were going to react. I even considered the possibility of you saying that the baby was Hunter's and not yours."

"It's not, is it?" he asked, hoping against hope that it wasn't. He didn't think that he would be able to take it if this baby wasn't his, not after already believing that it was his own. No, that kind of confession from her would be too much for him to handle...

"Nope," she said happily. "This little life inside me came from us...me and you. He or she is _ours_..."

"This is like a dream," he said, putting one hand on her stomach. "Me and you...and a baby. We're going to have a life together... It's like a dream, something I thought would never be possible after what happened two months ago."

"Yeah, it _is _like a dream," she agreed, touching his cheek softly. "What can I say? Sometimes the dream that seems most unattainable... Well, _sometimes it comes true_..."

_THE END!_

**A/N: Thanks for your support in this story, everyone! I'm such a sucker for happy endings with these two, and I just can't help it! I wrote the end of this chapter right after I wrote chapter 11, believe it or not... Please review! Thanks everyone, for taking a chance and hopping on this ride with me... Almost 7 months and 31 chapters later, we're finally at the end! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!**

**And a special thanks to DCFanatic4Life...for letting me use parts of her story and profile, and for making me believe in this story! You've inspired me the whole way and I can't thank you enough! Take a bow, Nina! ;-)**


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